Going For GoldJul 7, 2016 by Varsity TV
Q&A: USA National Team's Sara Baty
Q&A: USA National Team's Sara Baty
There's no question that Sara Baty is talented. She was throwing fulls in third grade and double fulls by fourth grade. A product of her hard work and dedic
There's no question that Sara Baty is talented. She was throwing fulls in third grade and double fulls by fourth grade. A product of her hard work and dedication, she has taken home national and world championship titles in all realms of cheerleading. Now, she can add gold medalist to her resume.
This April, Sara continued her journey on the 2016 USA National All Girl Team winning gold at the ICU World Cheerleading Championships. Our cameras tagged along to document the training, tribulation and triumphs of competing at the highest level of cheerleading. Get to know a little bit about Sara below, and follow her journey in the upcoming series, Going for Gold: US National Cheer Team. Keep an out out for the full trailer, which debuts on Wednesday, July 13 exclusively on Varsity.tv.
![Going for Gold: USA National Team [Episode 2]](//flo-static-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/api/57a39f240bb0b.jpeg)
Cheer Dynamix 2003-2010 (Tulsa, OK)
USA All-Girl (2016), gold-medalist
Why did you choose to cheer at Oklahoma State?
I never thought I would cheer in college but my junior year of high school, LeRoy McCullough (head coach at Oklahoma State at that time) approached me at a competition and invited me to come to an OSU practice. He told me to bring my cheer shoes because I was actually going to practice with them.
What was practice like?
I had never been to Stillwater, Oklahoma so I didn't know where I was going and I had never done any level 6 or coed stunts before so I had no idea what to expect. But I had a blast; I learned how to do a rewind and full-up at that practice and after that day I knew I wanted to cheer in college and I wanted to cheer at OSU.
What if LeRoy hadn't approached you that day?
I never knew that I was capable of doing those skills, so it was a brand new open door for me. I think I really do owe a lot to LeRoy for introducing me to college cheer because if I didn't have that experience, I don't think I would have continued cheering -- at all.
Favorite part of cheerleading?
I could stunt all day, and then go back and stunt again. I get most excited for the pyramid, because there's so much support there. Not just physical support, but mental support at that part of the routine. You can talk to each other. Being the top girl up and just to get that little pat on the hip and the "see ya later" from a teammate before I'd flip off the top. It's the most rewarding and most challenging part of the routine.
What was the tryout process like for the US National Team?
The tryouts are in January, you try out with a stunt group and find out about 30 minutes after if you made it or not. There were 36 that made the all girl team, but only 24 get to compete. So after you make the team, the pressure is still there because it's almost like you have another tryout.
You don't compete until April, how did the team practice?
The athletes are coming from across the nation so traditional practice isn't an option. Our coaches assign skills that would eventually be a part of the routine, and every two weeks we had a skills check and all the stunt groups would post a video in a group message. That helped us to get to know each other and start recognizing names.
On the US National team you're surrounded with the most elite athletes in cheer, what was that like?
It's more than who you cheer for, it's what you represent. No matter what competitive gym or college program you came from, you're all uniting as one team. It's so cram packed with talent, it's almost overwhelming -- it's so humbling, like I made her team?! I can't believe I get to be surrounded by this much talent at one time.
Instagram: @sarabaty
Twitter: @sara_baty
Favorite TV show: Criminal Minds
Favorite movie: Major Pain
Favorite athlete: Shawn Johnson
Favorite sports team: OKC Thunder
Hobbies: painting, drawing, creating and completing projects
What's playing in your headphones/ear buds right now?
"Dream On" by Brian Nhira
What's unique or unusual about you that few people know?
In high school, I competed in show choir competitions across the country and we won the Fame competition in Branson my junior year!
If you were stranded on a deserted island for a year, what's the one thing you'd have to have with you?
I would have paint with me. That way I could paint the views, the sky, and my surroundings.
Describe yourself in one word, on the mat and off:
On the mat: focused
Off the mat: goofy
This April, Sara continued her journey on the 2016 USA National All Girl Team winning gold at the ICU World Cheerleading Championships. Our cameras tagged along to document the training, tribulation and triumphs of competing at the highest level of cheerleading. Get to know a little bit about Sara below, and follow her journey in the upcoming series, Going for Gold: US National Cheer Team. Keep an out out for the full trailer, which debuts on Wednesday, July 13 exclusively on Varsity.tv.
![Going for Gold: USA National Team [Episode 1]](http://flo-static-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/api/57a39f1635118.jpeg)
![Going for Gold: USA National Team [Episode 2]](http://flo-static-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/api/57a39f240bb0b.jpeg)
CHEER BACKGROUND:
ALL STAR
Cheers To You 2000-2003 (Tulsa, OK)Cheer Dynamix 2003-2010 (Tulsa, OK)
- Attended Worlds 2005-2010
- World Champion 2011
SCHOOL
Jenks High School (Jenks, OK)- Cheer captain 2007-2011
- NCA Champion Jr Varsity 2008
- State Champion 2010
- Cheer captain 2014-2015
- National Champion 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
US NATIONAL TEAM
USA Coed (2015), silver-medalistUSA All-Girl (2016), gold-medalist
Why did you choose to cheer at Oklahoma State?
I never thought I would cheer in college but my junior year of high school, LeRoy McCullough (head coach at Oklahoma State at that time) approached me at a competition and invited me to come to an OSU practice. He told me to bring my cheer shoes because I was actually going to practice with them.
What was practice like?
I had never been to Stillwater, Oklahoma so I didn't know where I was going and I had never done any level 6 or coed stunts before so I had no idea what to expect. But I had a blast; I learned how to do a rewind and full-up at that practice and after that day I knew I wanted to cheer in college and I wanted to cheer at OSU.
What if LeRoy hadn't approached you that day?
I never knew that I was capable of doing those skills, so it was a brand new open door for me. I think I really do owe a lot to LeRoy for introducing me to college cheer because if I didn't have that experience, I don't think I would have continued cheering -- at all.
Favorite part of cheerleading?
I could stunt all day, and then go back and stunt again. I get most excited for the pyramid, because there's so much support there. Not just physical support, but mental support at that part of the routine. You can talk to each other. Being the top girl up and just to get that little pat on the hip and the "see ya later" from a teammate before I'd flip off the top. It's the most rewarding and most challenging part of the routine.
What was the tryout process like for the US National Team?
The tryouts are in January, you try out with a stunt group and find out about 30 minutes after if you made it or not. There were 36 that made the all girl team, but only 24 get to compete. So after you make the team, the pressure is still there because it's almost like you have another tryout.
You don't compete until April, how did the team practice?
The athletes are coming from across the nation so traditional practice isn't an option. Our coaches assign skills that would eventually be a part of the routine, and every two weeks we had a skills check and all the stunt groups would post a video in a group message. That helped us to get to know each other and start recognizing names.
On the US National team you're surrounded with the most elite athletes in cheer, what was that like?
It's more than who you cheer for, it's what you represent. No matter what competitive gym or college program you came from, you're all uniting as one team. It's so cram packed with talent, it's almost overwhelming -- it's so humbling, like I made her team?! I can't believe I get to be surrounded by this much talent at one time.
Rapid-Fire Questions
Instagram: @sarabatyTwitter: @sara_baty
Favorite TV show: Criminal Minds
Favorite movie: Major Pain
Favorite athlete: Shawn Johnson
Favorite sports team: OKC Thunder
Hobbies: painting, drawing, creating and completing projects
What's playing in your headphones/ear buds right now?
"Dream On" by Brian Nhira
What's unique or unusual about you that few people know?
In high school, I competed in show choir competitions across the country and we won the Fame competition in Branson my junior year!
If you were stranded on a deserted island for a year, what's the one thing you'd have to have with you?
I would have paint with me. That way I could paint the views, the sky, and my surroundings.
Describe yourself in one word, on the mat and off:
On the mat: focused
Off the mat: goofy