ANDE FARGO

If twelve year old Ande Fargo could change one thing about herself, she said she wants to be strong. One may argue that as a flyer on her cheer team she is already strong, but according to her, she believes in the progress she has yet to make.

Do you know what a comfort zone is?

No.

It's what you feel comfortable with, where you feel most at home, where you don't feel nervous. What or where is your comfort zone? Where do you feel most comfortable?

The couch.

Why?

Because it is comfortable.

What about it makes it comfortable?

It's very squishy.

Do you like to sit on the couch with other people? Do you like it when other people are around?

Yeah.

Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? Do you know what those are?

Nope.

An introvert is not very outgoing and doesn't like to be around people. Introvert likes to be by themselves. Very independent.

I am an extrovert.

So you're an extrovert. Why do you think you're an extrovert?

I am very adventurous.

What kind of adventures do you like to go on?

Hikes.

Do you have a favorite place to hike?

Waterfalls!

Have you always liked to hike?

I think.

So you like being outdoors?

I like tumbling and swimming.

How do you feel when you're doing those activities?

Awesome and calming. It's kind of like meditating.

What situations do you feel most uncomfortable?

Cheer, tryouts.

Cheer tryouts. Why?

Because I get very nervous.

Do you get nervous that you're not going to make the team? Nervous that you're going to be embarrassed?

That I am not going to land the skill.

What happens if you don't land a skill?

I get very scared that my work to land it will not have paid off.

Do you consider yourself to be your hardest critic, your

worst critic? Are you the hardest person on yourself?

Yeah.

So you have high expectations for yourself. Why is that?

I don't know.

Is it just for cheer or is it for school? Is it for friendships?

Mostly just cheer.

What do you like about cheer?

I like tumbling and stunting because there's a lot of different things you can do with it. You need a team to make them work.

I get nervous that my hard work won't pay off.

I like competitions and routines where we are the stars instead of cheering for a team of boys.

So there's a variety that you like, it's never 100% the same.

Yeah!

What's your happy place?

The cheer gym.

When did you start cheer?

I was 5.

Why'd you choose to do cheer opposed to any other sport?

Because I saw whenever I watched football, I saw people doing it and it looked really cool.

Why don't you want to play football?

Because I'm not very strong. I am more on the weak side.

You don't think that you can be strong?

I mean, I could be. I just don't think I'm there yet.

Do you notice your own insecurities more when you're with other people or when you're by yourself?

I don't know.

Do you like yourself more when you're with other people or by yourself?

I think I like myself most of the time actually. But I have the most fun when I'm with other people.

Why?

My friends make me happy. We tell jokes.

To tell me a joke. Tell me something that you think is funny.

Oh, I've got one. Where do cows like to go?

Cows? The moo-seum?

Nope.

I really don't know then. I was confident in my answer.

The moo-vies!

Okay, I was on the right track. How do you present yourself?

What do you mean?

How do you show yourself to other people?

How I introduce myself?

How do you appear to other people? So for example, how do you dress? How do you behave? How do you talk?

I dress casual.

Okay. You dress casual. That's a start. Why do you like to dress casual?

I don't feel like getting dressed up. I've never liked getting dressed up. It just doesn't feel like me.

Do you dress pretty much the same way no matter where you go?

Yeah. I wear sweatshirts and leggings.

Do you think that how you dress is affected by what you see on social media?

No.

Am I accurate in saying you would consider yourself more athletic than girly?

Yes. I naturally wear spandex shorts. I can move in them.

Is it cool to be athletic?

I don't know.

Would you consider yourself to be a cool kid?

*shrugs*

Well, I think you're cool. So when you meet someone for the first time, how do you behave?

Nice, kind.

You are nice and kind. Do you like meeting new people?

Absolutely. Yes.

When someone meets you for this first time, what do you hope they think about you?

That I'm not as crazy as I seem.

So you hope they think that you're a bit chill? Why do you hope people think that?

So then they will want to be friends with me.

So you behave in a way that will get you more friends?

Yeah.

What's the most important thing to you?

Cheer.

Why cheer?

The gym is like my second home. I am always there, except for now..

Do you feel like you have a family at cheer?

Yes.

If you weren't Ande Fargo, who would you want to be?

Gabby Butler. She's a famous cheerleader. She's a really good flyer and I'm a flyer, so I want to be as good as her.

Do you plan on doing cheer all the way? When do you plan on stopping cheer?

Not any time soon. I still have things to do. Maybe before I go to college.

You don't want to do cheer in college? Why?

Because I just don't really like school cheer. I like competitions and routines where we are the stars, instead of cheering for a team of boys.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I kinda want to be an astronaut.

You want to be an astronaut? Why?

Because it seems really fun to be floating in space.

Do you like to plan things out or are you more spontaneous?

Spontaneous.

Are you happy with your life?

Yes.

Why?

Because I'm having a lot of fun.

You measure success in terms of fun?

Yes.

What's your idea of fun?

Entertaining. Cheer, school.

You like school?

No, I didn't say that. It's just entertaining.

Okay. What part about school is entertaining? The people?

Not the teachers.

If there was one thing that you could change about yourself, what would it be?

Not being so skinny.

What's your ideal body image?

I want to be strong, very strong. ◎

meet the

POWERHOUSE

ANDE FARGO

I get nervous that my hard work won't pay off.

I like competitions and routines where we are the stars instead of cheering for a team of boys.