Rodriguez's Route to Realization: DC senior takes different path to extending cheer career into coll

Posted Date: 05/22/2023

DODD CITY -- Brianna Rodriguez changed high schools midway through her junior year.

But the Dodd City senior didn't change what she still wanted to do after graduation: cheer.

Despite her unorthodox route, she has found fruition.

Rodriguez announced on May 22 that she will cheer at Tyler Junior College, in a signing ceremony held in the Dodd City ISD west gymnasium, with family, friends, classmates, teachers and coaches present.

"It's definitely been a challenge," said Rodriguez. "I knew I had to work for it to get to the next level. I had to do things -- go to clinics, practice crazy hours -- but I did it."

Dodd City ISD does not currently offer cheer as part of its athletics program.

To maintain her cheer skills -- and add others necessary to continue into the highly-competitive world of college cheer, such as tumbling -- Rodriguez worked after school with Kathleen Brooks, owner of the Studio94 gymnastics center in Bonham and former cheerleader at Bonham High School, Tyler Junior College and NCAA Division-I Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

"I've never seen an athlete work her tail off like Brianna," said Brooks, of Rodriguez, also an all-State setter last fall in volleyball as well as a basketball, softball and track competitor for Dodd City. "She is the definition of an all-around athlete."

"I've known Brianna since she was little," said Bonham High School cheer coach Stacy Hunnicutt. "I had her on varsity cheer for three years at Bonham before she moved to Dodd City ...

"She worked hard to keep up her skills," said Hunnicutt. "Hard work pays off."

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