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Jenna Puhalla Set For One Final Season of Comp Cheer at Gannon
Jenna Puhalla was rather new to the sport of competition cheer coming to Gannon University, but it hasn’t stopped her from helping the Golden Knights to a first place finish at the Myrtle Beach CANAM Grand Nationals competition in 2022, a third-place finish at NCA Nationals in 2021 in the Division II Advanced Small Co-Ed division, and a sixth-place mark at NCA Nationals this past season.
A tumbler, base stunter, and back pyramid, Puhalla has provided versatility for her co-ed squad the last three years as a Golden Knight. But, with limited competition cheer experience prior to college, how did Puhalla get where she is?
Well, it’s a fair question. However, sideline and game day cheerleading in basketball and football for around a decade throughout Moon Township in the Greater Pittsburgh area, including time with MCAA cheer, helped to give her a strong foundation and passion for cheerleading overall.
Gannon was also a perfect blend of athletics and academics, as Gannon is know for their fast-track medical degrees, like occupational therapy, the degree Puhalla is pursuing a Master of Science (MS) in over five-years. She’s hopeful to work in pediatrics or in hand-therapy after the completion of her education in 2024.
As a Gannon competition cheerleader, her favorite memory has been competing on the bandshell at nationals for the first time.
“That feeling was amazing, and I wish I could experience it all over again,” Puhalla said about the thrill of competing amongst the best cheerleading teams in the country.
While Gannon has provided some amazing opportunities in her cheerleading career, the most touching moment cheer has brought her was during her junior year of high school. On the one year anniversary of her friend’s passing, Moon scored 27 points in their football victory, a significant number as her friend wore the number 27 in lacrosse.
While Gannon has not provided a chance to cheer in the same environment she previously knew, it has given her the chance to see cheerleading from a different perspective.
“Going from sideline cheerleading to competitive cheerleading is a huge difference, but I am so happy I decided to stick with the sport and compete competitively in college.”
Best of luck to you as you continue your time as a Golden Knight, Jenna! Thank you for the chance to share your story and success in cheer 📣
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