Ava Hart
My Stories
How Madeline Mirrione is Fighting Gender Norms in Sports
How Bingham High School cheer brought home the national title
Listen to my KRCL Feature:
Biography
Ava Hart is a second-year student at the University of Utah studying communication with an emphasis in journalism. From South Jordan, Ava knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a creative career. She is passionate about sharing stories with others through her work and strives to paint a picture shaped through her artistic lens. When not writing, Ava spends her spare time shopping, hanging out with friends and watching movies.
Reporter's Notebook
"1, 3, 5, 7, 1, 3, 5, 7." The counts fill the Bingham High School gymnasium as the school cheerleaders stunt one another in the air, flip around, and chant school pride cheers.
The team’s hard-working attitudes were evident at the practice I attended while taking photos for my article highlighting them and their recent accomplishment. Bingham Cheer took home the national title at the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando in February 2025. As someone who grew up cheerleading, I recognized the significance of this achievement. However, I participated in All-Star Cheerleading—a form of competitive cheerleading—for the majority of my childhood. So, diving deeper into the world of high school cheer for this article was exciting.
One similarity that the types of cheerleading share is that they are predominantly female. As a cheerleader growing up, I often encountered the stereotype that cheerleaders are merely weak girls with pom-poms, and that the activity is not hard work. Bingham Cheer is an excellent example of the opposite. The athletes on the team are all female and powerhouses in the world of cheer. At the practice I attended, the girls were consistent and determined to perfect their skills. With a new season around the corner, the team was working on new stunts.
Apart from attending a practice to take photos of the team in action, I had the opportunity to interview two athletes and the head coach. The athletes were Avery Iorg and Joslyn Pederson, two of the captains. They both shared insights with me on what led to the national win and what it was like being an athlete on the team. Amber Thomas, the head coach, also talked about her experience during the season. She shared the challenges the team faced, as well as the great rewards they received. Even after our original conversation, she was more than happy to help answer any additional questions that I had.
After finishing all of my reporting, I pieced everything together into a story. The process went smoothly, and I enjoyed getting to tell the story of Bingham Cheer and their recent success. However, I had to keep my audience in mind. Common things in the sport, such as “elite stunt” and “bid,” were featured in my story. I had to ensure that I was explaining these things to my audience. My experience reporting and writing about the Bingham High School Cheer team greatly improved my journalism skills. I have my wonderful sources and editors to thank for helping me make the story what it is.