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Welcome to Flash Focus! In this series, we introduce you to fascinating student Flashes from all walks of life.

Meet Addison Sharrow and Essence Holloway, the ����Թ� cheer team co-captains. Sharrow is a senior health and physical education major from Catawissa, Pennsylvania. Holloway is a senior sports medicine major from Columbus, Ohio. 

Both captains have fitting majors for being student-athletes.

“Health and physical education is a perfect fit for me,” Sharrow told ����Թ� State Today. “I love working with kids, and I can stay active and make an impact on the generations coming up.”

“I chose this major because I always knew I wanted to do something in sports,” Holloway said, “but I wanted to take a different approach to it. The mental health aspect of sports is not talked about enough, usually at all, so I wanted to be a part of bringing more awareness to the psychological aspect through all sports.”

As cheerleaders, they devote a lot of time to their sport. The pair are heavily involved in cheerleading outside of ����Թ� State, as well. Sharrow works for the National Cheerleading Association, while Holloway owns a cheer gym in her hometown.

“There are no exact words for what this job means,” Sharrow said. “The best people in the sport of cheer from all over the U.S. are handpicked to be a part of the staff. The staff becomes a true family, and you're surrounded by like-minded individuals. We go all over the U.S. teaching anything cheer-related.”

It’s in Holloway’s nature to support those on her team, but it shows true leadership to support other teams.  

“Being on the cheer team last year and getting to cheer on every MAC champion women’s game and watching them win was a really fun experience,” Holloway said.  

Are you a student interested in being featured in Flash Focus, or know a student who would make a great candidate? Send suggestions with name and contact information to kentstatetoday@kent.edu.