Zaida Martinez Ruiz

10800 Highway 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
843-650-5600
zaidamartinezruiz@g.horrycountyschools.net
November 28, 2016
Senior Exploration Judges
10800 Highway 707
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
843-650-5600

Dear Senior Exploration Judges:

My name is Zaida Martinez, I am a Senior at St. James High School. I have been attending this
St. James all my four years. I am looking forward to graduation because I will be graduating with
my 2017 class and all my friends. I am a main coach in the 3D Elite Allstars Gym and i have
cheered in the gym for four years. I am ready to graduate and to continue my studies in college to
become a Orthodontist. I am hispanic and I am able to speak spanish and english fluently.
What motivated me to chose this topic was my love towards cheerleading. I have cheered for 5
years and coached teams for four years. Cheerleading has been in a decision argument between if
it will be considered a sport or if it should remain a big club. I have learned in this research that
the athletes and the coaches are insisting in proving that cheerleading should be considered a
sport because of all the skills, drills, competition, physical ability, and mental ability that it takes.
The service hours helped me get more involved and I had the chance to observe the coaches and
athletes perform their routine and admire that cheerleading does require a lot of abilities that a
sport needs to be considered a sport. It proved to me that cheerleading does meet all the required
abilities that should be needed to become a sport and helped me explained and prove my point
about cheerleading being a sport.
The Senior Exploration was a smooth process because the gym that I cheered and coached for
was the gym that I attended. My main coached allowed me to be with her for few practices to
observe and get involved with the athletes. I was able to question coaches, athletes, and gym
members about their opinion about cheerleading and if they believe cheerleading meets all the
requirements to be a sport.

Thank you judges for coming and listening to my Senior Exploration. Thank you for willingly
sharing your time to listen to my experience and my portfolio. Thank you for coming today!
Sincerely,
Zaida Martinez Ruiz
Zaida Martinez Ruiz