A Japanese Cheerleader Who Has a Big Dream

Her Journey from Tokyo to Kansas City

As an international student, I’ve been asked so many time why I came here. Each international student has own unique reason to study abroad. I’m not going to lie, it’s not easy to stay here without family and friends. Especially in the beginning, if you can’t speak English fluently, it’s very hard to keep up with academic classes. There is a Japanese girl who is in the Avila cheer team, the Eagles.

Yuho Kanda is a freshman at Avila University and was a part of the team when the team competed at the UCA National Championships in January in Orlando, Florida. The Eagles brought home their third consecutive top three finish in the Open All-Girl Cheer division. Yuho is 19 years old and from Tokyo, Japan. She has begun cheerleading when she was 16 as she entered high school. “My big sister used to be in the cheer team so I guess it was natural for me to follow her steps,” Yuho said. She had opportunities to enter some cheerleading competition in Japan while she was in high school, however, she had not been awarded a prize unfortunately. After graduation from high school, she’s decided to study abroad and continue cheerleading in the United States.

Since she started her freshman year last semester, she has been in the cheer team.

Yuho wanted to be in all-girl cheer team and also was looking for the team that does three high pyramid. The Eagles was just a perfect match for her. She realized there are so many differences between Japan and the U.S through cheerleading. In Japan, students had to choreograph dance by themselves, but in here, coaches choreograph and she just needs to remember the number. The way they perform, how they practice are different. Also how the girls in the team interact each other is totally different in between Japan and the U.S. In Japanese culture, you need to show respect to older people always. You have to talk in a polite way to others even if the age difference was only one year. “I was surprised that how senior students were friendly to me,” Yuho said.

The UCA National Championships was the first big competition for Yuho in the U.S. She got nervous and shaking. But everything went perfectly. It was all because of team work. Yuho said, “when I was so nervous, my teammates and coaches gave me courage. They told me that I would do great.” She told me how happy she was when the Eagles won third prize. “I never had been awarded a prize in Japan, so I was filled with a feeling of accomplishment!” Yuho proudly said.

Personally I am so proud of her because I know how hard it must’ve been for her to study English, attend academic classes, and practice every day. Her journey has just begun, and I know she will accomplish something great more in the future.