By Kyle Coppola
East Ridge Senior Cheerleader Flips Pain into Power
Morgan Horgeshimer
East Ridge High School senior cheerleader Morgan Horgeshimer has faced more than her fair share of setbacks, both physically and mentally. Yet, she’s emerged stronger from each challenge, driven by an incredible passion for the sport of cheer and a deeper understanding of herself.
Morgan didn’t always know she’d end up in cheer. In fact, she started out on a dance team alongside her sister Lily.
“I loved dance, but I wasn’t as energetic as I wanted to be,” Morgan says. “I wanted to explore acrobatics, trampoline, and gymnastics, but the team in Groveland shut down. So, I decided to try out for a competition team and fell in love with it.”
“I love performing because it lets a different side of me come out,” she says. “I get to perform, and I’m happy with what I’m doing. I love motivating others and helping people around me.”
As much as Morgan loves cheer, it hasn’t come without its challenges.
In May 2024, Morgan was involved in a car accident just days before her tryouts for the Top Gun Level 6 Worlds Team in Orlando. The accident left her with whiplash, a concussion, two herniated discs in her neck and lower back and a knee injury.
“Physically, it was really tough,” she says. “My neck and back injuries made me feel sick, and mentally it was even harder. I was supposed to try out for the Level 6 team and even the Angels team, but I couldn’t because of my injuries and I didn’t make it.”
Still, Morgan didn’t give up. She made the Level 4.2 team, and her drive didn’t stop there. However, a few months later, Morgan tore her ACL.
“It felt defeating, like I couldn’t catch a break,” she says. “I couldn’t work, I couldn’t go to school and my friends were busy with their own lives. But I knew I couldn’t let this stop me.”
Morgan’s recovery wasn’t just physical, it was also emotional.
“There were moments when I was really sad and felt alone,” she says. “But seeing the support of my family and friends, especially my physical therapist, was huge for me. I found comfort in quoting Bible verses and focusing on the positive things in my life. It made me realize that my struggles were part of something bigger. I want everyone to know that you are never alone no matter how hard it gets.”
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As the months passed and her body healed, Morgan’s love for cheer came back stronger than ever. She almost quit during the hardest parts of her recovery but knew that cheer was her calling.
“Losing cheer made me realize how much I needed it in my life,” Morgan says through tears. “It wasn’t just a sport. It was my passion and I wasn’t ready to give that up.”
One of the scariest moments came after a busted eyebrow that required three stitches just days after being cleared of her ACL surgery.
“I asked myself, ‘Should I even be doing this anymore?’ But I think that moment actually motivated me even more,” Morgan says. “It was hard, but I realized that my love for cheer was stronger than any fear or setback I had. It was rewarding to come back from all of it.”
This year Morgan was determined to make it on her dream team. Just six months removed from knee surgery, Morgan earned a spot on the Top Gun Level 6 Worlds Team, an amazing accomplishment.
“Making Top Gun Worlds 6 Team was a dream come true,” she says. “I have wanted this for so long and to finally make it means everything to me.”
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Morgan’s experiences and her time in recovery have also led to nursing, a new path she wants to pursue to help others.
“When I was in the hospital before my surgery, the last person I saw was an anesthesiologist,” she says. “I was so scared and frightened, but they made me laugh and made me feel comfortable and that stuck with me. I decided that I wanted to be someone who could make people feel better when they’re scared or in pain. I’m thinking about becoming a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist).”
In addition to her passion for cheer and healthcare, Morgan is dedicated to her academic pursuits. She has a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the National English Honor Society. She’s also volunteered at Orlando Health South Lake Hospital, helping in the cardiac rehab unit. Morgan hopes to attend the University of Central Florida to continue her education and pursue a career in healthcare.
When asked for the best advice she’s ever received, Morgan didn’t hesitate. “Don’t let doubt or the little things get to you,” she says. “If you keep pushing through, you’ll find that the big things will come. And remember, you can’t have the good without the bad.”
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Photos: Nicole Hamel
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
