Gymnastics newcomer sparkles on floor and vault while leading Blazer cheerleading squad

In three graceful strides junior Latasha Watson glides across the mat and leaps effortlessly into the air, her arms and legs on parallel planes. She looks up after landing, flashing her characteristic smile at the judges and at her team.

Watson's enthusiasm makes her a leader on both the Blair gymnastics team and the cheerleading squad. According to gymnastics coach Paul Belliveau, Watson's energy makes her an anchor for the team. "She's a powerful athlete and a powerful person," he says.

Watson is one of the few gymnasts who can recognize her own faults while helping to improve her teammates' performances, says gymnastics co-captain Ilene Arnsdorf, a senior. "She's really positive and smiling all the time. She makes everyone around her feel good about themselves," Arnsdorf explains.

Watson brings a drive for perfection to the team and strives for flawlessness in her performance, says cheerleading coach Roxanne Fus. "She works at a skill until she can perfect it," Fus explains.

Watson, who has been cheerleading since sixth grade, is new to gymnastics. She joined the team for its inaugural season last year in order to stay in shape and have fun.

Watson was quick to pick up the essentials of gymnastics, excelling on the vault and floor exercises, particularly straddle-jumps. Her cheerleading skills carry over to gymnastics, says Belliveau, while her natural talent keeps her on equal ground with athletes who have years of experience. "She's a natural, explosive dancer," he explains.

The team has been consistently improving, and Watson has contributed by increasing her personal top score. In a narrow two-point loss to Blake High School on Mar 25, Watson scored a total of 12.8 points in the vault and floor competitions.

She improved her score to 13.3 in the meet against Whitman, Springbrook and Walter Johnson high schools on Mar 27.

Cheerleading is still Watson's first love. She has always seen cheerleaders as role models and now revels in having younger cheerleaders look up to her. Twice a week, she coaches a squad of nine to 14 year olds for the Takoma Park Recreation Department, helping them learn the basics of the same moves she works so hard to master at Blair.

Watson has already accomplished many of her goals, and she holds high aspirations for her future. She plans to cheer in college and hopes one day to be a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins.