Cambree Langford has spent the past eight years building more than cheer skills. She has built a second family.

Now a junior at McAlester High School, Langford said she first got into cheer because of her older sister, but the sport quickly became her own.

“My older sister did it, so I eventually ended up starting as well,” she said.

Langford serves as the team’s main base and also helps coordinate bonding and spirit activities, a role that reflects both her leadership and energy. She said the best part of cheer is the connection among teammates.

“The thing I enjoy most about being a cheerleader is the bond I share with my team,” Langford said. “We push each other to be better and get to celebrate every success together.”

That bond was on display in January, when Langford and her MHS Pom team traveled to nationals and competed in the Spirit Team category for the first time.

“My favorite memory with my cheer team so far has been getting to go to nationals this past January and compete in the Spirit Team category for the first time ever with our MHS Pom team,” she said.

Her biggest influence has been her first coach, Tamara Roberts.

“She is the reason I fell in love with cheerleading, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without her,” Langford said.

Like many athletes, Langford said the hardest part is the grind behind the scenes.

“The most challenging part of cheer for me is definitely the long practices before competitions,” she said. “But even though they are challenging, I have learned that focusing on the outcome of our hard work and dedication means more than the hard practices.”

Beyond cheer, Langford has also become a Certified Nursing Assistant and stays busy through National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and Health Occupations Students of America. She has been named an All-American cheerleader three years in a row.

After high school, Langford plans to attend Oklahoma State University and nursing school, though she does not plan to cheer in college.

If she had to sum up her cheer journey in one word, Langford chose “resilience.”