By Derrick Smith

Role models can play a big part in our lives. They can help shape us into the person that we become or want to become while being an example for us to look up to. Hannah Gilstad says that there are two people that have made a big impact on her life and helped her get to where she is today.

“The two biggest role models for me are my dance instructor, Leah Wall, and my pom coach, Rainey Palmer,” she stated. “They both have invested a lot of time into my dance career and their discipline and critiques have made me better than I could ever be without them.”

Gilstad is a senior at Altus High School. She is a member of the pom and dance team, Link Crew, choir, musical, and the National Honor Society. She says that her coaches and instructors have been key to her success but her teammates help keep her working and getting better. 

“The thing that motivates me most is having other dancers to look up to who are more experienced,” she said. “When I see how far they’ve come and how well trained they are it makes me want to work harder to be better like them.”

Throughout her dance and pom career, Hannah has spent a lot of time working and preparing, but she says that the extra work is what puts you over the top.

“Overall, I have found that success requires consistency,” she said. “Being the athlete who stays late after practice, stretches and trains daily, and makes sacrifices to make myself better is what it’s all about. I’ve found that disciplining myself to practice even when I don’t want to has been more beneficial than only working when I feel motivated.” 

When the time comes for Hannah and her teammates to compete, it really does not matter who they are up against, they give it their all and try their hardest. But, she says that there are some teams that are more fun to beat.

“The most rewarding team to beat would probably be bigger schools, like Jenks or Bishop Kelly,” she said. “I really admire their teams and dancers and they are very tough competition.”