Video of anthem performance at LSU’s Senior Day:
Last summer Seymour school administrators came to Ashley Noble with a problem. “They’re like, ‘If you don’t do it, we may have to cancel the season because we can’t find a cheer coach,'” said Noble.
So the middle school math teacher and travel basketball coach took it upon herself to learn something new. And as it turns out her new cheerleaders were doing the same. “We started harmonizing little words every once in a while,” said Shea Peters, a senior on the team.
Seymour doesn’t have a choir program. But on bus rides to volleyball games this fall Elisa, Shea, Addie, and Abi let their voices be heard. That gave Coach Noble an idea.
“She said, ‘You guys should really sing the National Anthem at our opening night of the gym,'” Shea said. “And we thought it was a joke.”
But her coach was being serious. They’ve now sung the national anthem at every home Seymour basketball game. That gave Coach Noble another idea. “I knew if I sent an email and video of the girls they would want them because they’re absolutely amazing,” she said.
An email campaign led to the girls singing at several college games in the area. Not one school said no. So Noble decided to test that streak. “LSU I didn’t think would answer,” she said. “I thought, ‘Ah, we won’t get an e-mail back.’ But I’m going to try it, I don’t care.”
Yeah, that LSU. Home of the defending women’s basketball national champions. “They e-mailed me back within two days,” Noble said. “And they were like, ‘Yes, we want them.'”
Now they’re set to sing the National Anthem at the Tigers senior night in front of some of the biggest names in the sport. “[I want to meet] Angel Reese for sure,” said Elisa Valbuena, a senior on the team.
“Hailey Van Lith and Angel Reese are seniors this year,” added Noble. “Kim Mulkey is my girl!”
“When we get there I want to meet the cheer team,” said Addie Kelley, a junior on the team. “I want to meet the basketball team. I want to try all the things in Louisiana.”
And as they prepare for the biggest performance of their lives, their diaphragms are full. Just like their hearts, with gratitude.
“Miss Noble taking the initiative to ask this amazing college if we can sing is the boldness I think that everyone needs,” said Abi Harper, a senior on the team.
Helping these girls find their voice with a little help from a coach who believed in them and refused to wouldn’t let the music die.
