When the UCLA Bruins take the field to play a college football game against the Utah Utes on 30 Aug., a Caymanian will make history by cheering on the sideline.
Jaiden Gilbert, 19, recently became the first Caymanian cheerleader at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Growing up, Gilbert competed in gymnastics and said that her participation in the NatWest Island Games in 2019 was a pivotal moment in her gymnastics career.
“Representing the Cayman Islands for the first time on the national gymnastics team taught me the significance of pride, dedication and being part of something bigger than myself,” she said.
“This feeling really motivated me to try out for the UCLA cheer team as it showed me how special it is to represent a community that has given me so much.”
Gilbert, an architecture major, started attending UCLA in September 2024. She said the move from Cayman to Los Angeles has been incredible.
“It has been both transformative and rewarding, opening many doors and new experiences for me,” she said.
After attending her first college football game at UCLA and being “immediately blown away by the talent, energy and stage presence of the cheerleaders”, she felt inspired to try out for the cheerleading team. She quickly recognised how gymnastics and cheerleading had many overlapping elements that would allow her to adapt to the new sport.
“I attended open gym sessions to practice gymnastics for fun, and was able to meet some of the cheerleaders and talk to them about their individual experiences joining UCLA cheer,” she said.
“Their encouragement and insights further fuelled my interest in joining the cheer team.”
On tryout day, a six-hour evaluation period was conducted that included several rounds of cuts throughout the day. During this period, cheer team hopefuls were evaluated on their ability to tumble, dance, perform stunts and work through pressure during a game-day simulation.
After fully immersing herself in the sport and learning all that she could about cheerleading prior to tryouts, her hard work paid off.
Later that night, Gilbert found out she earned a spot on the team.
“Joining the cheer team has allowed me to reconnect with the aspects of gymnastics that I loved, such as tumbling, performing and the being part of a close-knit team,” she said.
She credited her years of dedication to gymnastics for providing a “strong foundation for a seamless transition into cheerleading”.
The historical achievement is one that Gilbert considers a huge honour.
“The UCLA community has truly given me so much. So being able to represent my dream school while doing what I love will be such a fulfilling experience,” she said.
Gilbert aspires to represent UCLA “with pride, integrity and enthusiasm” every time she steps out in her uniform. As a new cheerleader, she said she aims to refine her stunting technique, learn new positions and enhance her tumbling skills so she can contribute to more dynamic performances when she officially starts cheering.
Although Gilbert still enjoys attending open gym sessions and practising gymnastics recreationally, she said that she no longer competes in the sport and is excited to take on the new cheerleading opportunity.
She reminds young Caymanians who aspire to achieve similar accomplishments that although growing up on a small island can sometimes make you feel as if opportunities are limited, you must persevere.
“Surround yourself with people who uplift and inspire you and stay committed, even when things feel challenging,” she said.
“Every step you take, no matter how small, brings you closer to the future you’re working toward, and once you get there, the whole process feels worthwhile and incredibly rewarding.”
