Talegate recently interviewed Millie Smoke, a senior cheerleader at Auburn University who is majoring in Exercise Science. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Millie graduated high school at Evangel Christian School and has been cheering for Auburn for the last two years.
TG: How did you get started in cheerleading?
MS: I competed in the sport of gymnastics from age 3 until I graduated high school. During my junior year of high school, my older sister, Izzy Smoke Nix, made the Auburn University Cheerleading team. Ever since that day, I dreamed of cheering for Auburn too.
Because there has always been a love for Auburn that resides in me and my family, and I deeply enjoy athletics and sports, I knew I needed to pursue this dream. The minute I arrived on Auburn’s campus in the fall of my freshman year, I started to train for cheerleading. Every single week, I devoted time to learn how to stunt and become accustomed to the sport of cheerleading. With the help of my incredible sister and many others, I was able to pick it up quickly and felt prepared for tryouts in the spring!
TG: What was a milestone moment for you early on that made you glad you chose to be a cheerleader?
MS: Early on in my first year as an Auburn Cheerleader, I had the opportunity to travel to the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., with a few of my teammates. We had the privilege of being a part of the Chick-Fil-A Picks for Kids Program and meeting several Children’s patients and their families. The most memorable part of the day was meeting kids for the first time, and seeing their faces immediately light up with joy. I was blown away by the simple gesture of how extending a smile or leading the audience in an Auburn cheer had the power to uplift sick and hurting children and their families. I remember leaving the hospital and feeling so humbled and thankful to get to represent Auburn as a cheerleader and impact the lives of people right down the road from Auburn, AL.
Being an Auburn Cheerleader has its glorious moments in Jordan-Hare Stadium, Neville Arena, and at other sporting events; nevertheless, the moments like ones at Children’s Hospital will always hold just as much, if not more, value and meaning in my lifetime.
TG: Who are some people who made a significant impact on you as a person?
MS: When thinking about who has significantly impacted me and my life the very most, my mind immediately goes to my two amazing parents. They raised me, to the best of their ability, to know Christ and do everything I do for His glory. My parents are the most supportive, gracious, welcoming, loving, and servant-hearted people in my life and I am forever thankful for the many ways they have poured into my life. Without them, I would be nowhere near where I am today.
Right alongside my parents, I have 3 older siblings, each of whom I see and look up to as my role models. Being the baby of four children forced me to walk in their footsteps growing up. At the end of the day, I strive to live my life and seek the Lord first in everything just like my parents and older siblings did in their college years, careers, and marriages.
TG: Your faith is a big part of your life. What does that look like for you on a day-to-day basis?
MS: On a day-to-day basis, I wake up each morning and do my best to prioritize spending time with my Creator before doing anything else. I am a firm believer that I exist primarily to know Jesus and share the good news of the Gospel with those I encounter. I have the amazing gift of being a part of Auburn Community Church, a couple of small groups, and a friend group of about 20 girls who all follow Christ and know Him deeply. Being in this environment and community in Auburn has only strengthened me and encouraged me with my faith in God over the past four years. Having the role of an Auburn University Cheerleader, my goal is to use the platform God has graciously given to me to meet many people, share the Gospel, and impact those around me in a way so that people in the Auburn community might be drawn towards Jesus!
TG: What have been some of your favorite memories of being an Auburn cheerleader?
MS: My favorite memory from last year is the Men’s Basketball SEC Tournament in Nashville! Our Auburn Tigers played three games over the span of three days in a row—which means I experienced three Tiger Walks, heard three hype speeches from Coach Bruce Pearl in the hotel lobby, and cheered three games in Bridgestone Arena – all of which were marked by the entire Auburn family united and rallying behind the Tigers playing to victory and winning an SEC title!
At each game, the Auburn crowd was so engaged, enthusiastic, loud, and responsive to the cheers we led on the court. It was an absolute joy to look in the stands and see a sea of orange and blue. Even though we were in Nashville, it felt like a packed-out home game inside Neville Arena! This experience provided me with amazing memories, team bonding, and the greatest experience as a cheerleader in my life thus far. Few people in the world get to say they cheered their basketball team to win an SEC title; and it was the greatest honor to get to watch it happen right before my eyes—especially as a first-year cheerleader!
TG: What would you say to a little girl who is thinking about going into cheerleading?
MS: To the little girl who is dreaming about going into cheerleading, my best piece of advice is to stay devoted to the Lord, and His perfect plan will unfold for your life, right in front of your eyes. There is nothing you can do, right or wrong, to interfere with what He has written for your story and your journey. Trust Him, seek Him, and ask Him to give you the strength to endure as you pursue a dream in cheerleading!
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all of these things will be added to you.” He will satisfy you more than anything else ever will. TG
Photos courtesy of Millie Smoke
