Saturdays in the Swamp are the highlight of the week for most Gators. Each home game, thousands of Gator fans fill Ben Griffin Hill Stadium anticipating a win from our football team.
Looking out on the field you have to notice the cheerleaders. They make sure that the crowd is hyped throughout the game. Danyel Ashley is one of those cheerleaders.
Ashley has been a cheerleader for three years now. She joined the team after being on the Florida Competitive Cheerleader Team her freshmen year.
 Cheering is not something she just picked up while at college.
“I’ve been cheering for most of my life,” said Ashley.
Ashley has been cheering since she was six. She decided to cheer competitively when she was thirteen.
She claims that being a Gator cheerleader has been the highlight of her cheering career.
“Being able to travel and show others how great it is to be a Gator has just been amazing,” Ashley said.
When asked what the best part about being on the team is she said, “Being a part of tradition.”
Recently Ashley participated in a contest of collegiate cheerleaders from all over the nation.
The Athlon Spirit Contest is a competition where 20 cheerleaders are selected to compete for a scholarship. Fans of the individual cheerleaders voted to see who would have the most votes. Ashley made it to the second round of the competition.
“It was still a great experience,” she said.
According to Ashley, being the face of the team means many things. The fourth year telecommunications major with a minor in English said, “Being a Gator means that you are smart, spirited, passionate — the best of the best individual.”