SUFFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Whether she's cheering on her peers or on the track herself, Asia Powell is giving it 100 percent.
The King's Fork senior has been cheering for a long time and will be the first to defend cheerleading's status as a sport. She knows it's more than just smiling, shouting and stomping and has been showing off her athletic ability on the sidelines, courtside and on the mat since she was 5 years old.
"I remember doing [competitive] cheer when I was about 5 years old and going to Disney," Asia recalled. "Ever since then I've been obsessed with cheer."
Bulldogs' head cheer coach Dominick Fink knows that she has a rare talent on her team. It's not hard to notice the combination of hard work, leadership and positivity that Asia possesses.
"She picks up the slack of the other girls," Fink said. "Sometimes they don't want to come and and they have a little bit of a hard time and she's that leader."
"I like to show school spirit and I like to cheer on the players," Asia said of cheering. "I also enjoy being around my cheer sisters."
Cheering just begins to scratch the surface when it comes to the abilities of this senior sensation. Turns out her speed can speak as loud as her voice does.
"I also run track and I'm the captain of the track team as well," she noted. "I've had the honor of winning not one, but three state championships."
"I didn't know for a good while that she was this amazing track star," her cheer coach added. "I would ask her she would say 'no, no, no,' and I was like 'Asia, you are a superstar!'"
She leads the pack on the track and leads the squad in cheerleading, but that's not the only time she'll use her voice. This Bulldog is also a talented vocalist, having sung in her church since the age of 3. The list of things at which Asia excels is a long one, but throughout her journey, she's learned to carry herself with class no matter how much success comes her way.
"No matter how many trophies you may get, no matter what people may say to you, remain humble but be hungry as well," she said. "Stay determined and never give up."
Asia is a sprinter on the track, running the 100 meter, 200 meter and several relay races. She says she holds a handful of Division I offers, including Hampton, Norfolk State and VCU. The senior also stands out in the classroom, boasting a 3.25 GPA.
If you have a nominee for our Esprit Decor Student-Athlete of the Week, send an e-mail to marc.davis @wtkr.com.
