Cheerleading has been essential throughout all three of the Rountree sisters’ lives, not only for teaching a hard work ethic but for promoting sisterhood.
Sydney (23), Reese (20), and Peyton (18) have each been highly influenced by a sport that is more than just cartwheeling and shouting, but is considered by many to be one of the more intense, physical sports.
The oldest Rountree sister, Sydney, started cheering when she was 5 years old and cheered throughout elementary, middle and high school. Soon enough, Reese joined her.
With Sydney introducing cheer to her two younger sisters, she is ecstatic that both now are on SEC cheerleading squads.
Both are from Milton, Reese Rountree is a rising junior at Georgia and a member of the Bulldogs’ cheerleading squad. Peyton Rountree is a rising freshman at Ole Miss and will be on the Rebels’ cheerleading squad.
They will appear on opposing sidelines this fall when Georgia and Ole Miss play football in Oxford, Mississippi, on Oct. 9.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Rountree family
Credit: Photo courtesy of Rountree family
Peyton said, “It’s gonna be weird. I mean we’ve kind of competed against each other in a healthy way. But I think honestly it won’t be like ‘oh we’re on different teams’, more like a really cool full-circle moment that we both achieved what we wanted to do.”
Reese said, “It will be a weird moment because I am so used to her always being like right beside me, or in front of me watching me. I am so excited to watch her. ... I’m excited to see her in her uniform doing what God gave her because she has such a special talent.”
Sydney said, “I mean they have both just worked so hard, and I am so excited for each of them. … It is just crazy to me that we are at this point and they’re both living out their dream. I can remember when they were younger and they would follow girls on Instagram, the SEC cheerleaders, and that’s where they’re going to be.”
Credit: Photo courtesy of Rountree family
Credit: Photo courtesy of Rountree family
Reese and Peyton have been an anchor to each other with cheerleading as they worked hard and won local, state, and national cheer awards.
“How much you have to sacrifice of your life,” Peyton said. “It’s 50 weeks out of the year, so you have to be fully committed to it. Honestly starting young is the best thing so you can grow with the sport.”
She continued, “Me and Reese honestly did lacrosse for a couple years because we just wanted to try it out and see. We were both terrible at it (laughing) … but ultimately, I am glad I stuck with it (cheerleading), and think that’s what I’m best at. For a time I think I couldn’t see that, but now I can really see that.”
In her junior year of high school, Reese took a break from cheering competitively.
“Right after my freshman year, I was just kind of burnt out from the sport,” Reese said. “You know, you just do it for so long, and I kind of lost the luster of the sport. I was burnt out and took the time off, and I’m really glad I did because when I restarted and restarted competition cheer my senior year, it really brought back why I want to do it.”
With football being crucial in the South, being able to cheer for an SEC cheerleading team is a big accomplishment. After years of hard work for the Rountree sisters, when finding out they made their college team, they were thrilled.
Cheer has been a sport centered around each of the Rountree sisters’ lives. Each sister has been there for the other. In a few months, they plan to be on opposing sidelines for what promises to be an important game in the SEC that could impact the College Football Playoff.
Yet, no matter what they do after that, where they go and what they face, they will forever remember the sport that bonded them, giving them great experiences, moments and life lessons.
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