Next up in our Keeping Up With the SciCheers series, we catch up with Beverly who recently graduated from college.
You cheered for Drexel while in college. Have you cheered anywhere else post-college?
After graduating from college, I began my research assistant position at a major hospital in Boston. While still working full-time, I had the opportunity to fulfill another dream: cheering for the Celtics Green Team! With my athletic roots as a former elite gymnast, I was blessed to enter the sport of cheerleading, where I learned how to stunt by combining my dance/performance experience with some fun flips and pyramids! When not flying through the air or stacking up pyramids, we also run live promotions in the arena and make appearances in the community.
Wow! Any new favorite cheer moments?
One of the most intense moments for me was learning how to navigate a basket toss, where 4-5 (super strong) male team members literally combined forces to throw me into the air. For those 10 seconds on the court, I was the only person moving in the entire arena – as if everyone holds their breath until the flyer comes back down safely. “Riding the basket” up about 20 feet in the air, I had to not only learn how to navigate the air in a split or twisting flip, but also completely trust my teammates to catch me. I believe that this trust factor in basket tosses as well as pyramids is what creates such a special bond among my Green Team sisters and brothers.
Any new fun facts you want to share?
While in Boston, I also picked up a new hobby as a Reiki practitioner! Reiki is a relaxation technique combined with some guided meditation. As a volunteer practitioner for Brigham and Women’s Hospital (before the pandemic), I would visit in-patients from all departments to help them cope with pains from chemotherapy and other stressors of often long hospital stays. I’m proud to say that, of my nearly 200 clients so far, about half will begin snoring and get some valuable sleep during Reiki!
What’s next for you?
Having contributed to three research publications up to this point and forever cherishing the best year of my life in becoming an NBA cheerleader, I feel ready to try my chances at my next biggest audition: applying for medical school. Wish me luck!