Epic Athlete | Amy Damante

Tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Amy Damante, I am 18 years old and am a part of Top Gun Large Coed. I am from Wellington, Florida and I am a Freshman in college. Just last season, I became a 2018 World Champion with Top Gun Lady Jags, which was a dream of mine since I started at 12 years old.

Give us a fun fact or story about you.
Something that a lot of people don’t know about me is that I have a twin sister named Tara. When we were growing up, I was a gymnast and she did all-star cheer, and I would ALWAYS say how I would never do cheerleading in my life, but 10 years later here I am. I am thankful that she had gotten involved with cheer, because if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t know anything about it and I would not be where I am today.

What does being an Epic Athlete mean to you?
Being an Epic Athlete means so much more to me than just a title. It is a great honor to represent Epic Brands, and it is awesome to have made friendships with other extremely talented athletes from all around! This is the kind of opportunity that I will remember in 30 years and share with my kids and family.

How do you embody the essence of an Epic Athlete in day-to-day life?
In day-to-day life, some things can be challenging whether it is school, cheer, work, or relationships. I try my hardest to inspire others and be a good role model for others. Nobody is perfect, and everybody has flaws, and I think it is important to embrace that. With all of the negativity on social media, I want to bring positivity up to the plate and encourage others to do the same. We all are in the same sport and community, and we should be lifting each other up instead of dragging others down.

Tell us about your journey of how you got to where you are now.
I started out as a gymnast when I was 3, and stuck with it for about 9 years, but as I got older and routines were becoming more difficult, it was starting to feel more like a job than something I was passionate about. I was burnt out and unhappy. I decided that the best option was to stop and focus on school and actually having a life. But it turned out, I did not enjoy having so much free time and I missed having a sport in my life. After thinking about it, I missed tumbling and performing the most and that is when I decided to start cheer, and I instantly fell in love. I started out on a junior 3 team because even though I was throwing double fulls, I had no stunting experience. I think taking the first year on a lower level team was good for me, because it helped me adapt to the sport. The next two years I was on restricted 5 teams, and a small coed level 5 team. I remember seeing Top Gun at competitions and on YouTube and BEGGED my parents to let me go, but since the drive is far, they were unsure about if they wanted to commit to that. Probably after 2 years of begging, I tried out at Top Gun and made my dream team, Lady Jags. Coming to Top Gun was the best decision of my life, they really do make you feel like family, and that is something I would never trade for the world.

What is the most impactful lesson you’ve learned throughout your cheer career?
Throughout my cheer career, I have learned so many things from different people, but I think the most important things I have learned were time management and how to fight for things. From being a student and having homework, working, and driving 2 hours each way to practice, I have learned the hard way that you need to plan out your time wisely. It’s all about balance. There is enough time for everything, but you must prioritize and schedule ahead. This has helped me in life because I know exactly how to plan out busy days and get important things done. Not only have I learned how to manage my time, but I have learned to fight for what I want. You only will get out as much as you put in. If you don’t focus and fight for your stunt at practice, there is a good chance it will not hit perfectly at competition. It is kind of like if you don’t study for a test, you cannot expect to get a 100. This is why you need to fight for everything because you are only as good as you allow yourself to be.

#1 cheer memory so far?
My #1 cheer memory would be winning the 2018 World Championship with Lady Jags. That team had been through the good, bad, and ugly. The team had such drive and heart. I would not have wanted to experience it with any other group of girls or coaches.

What is your next move? Where do you go from here?

I plan for this to be my last year cheering, as I want to put all my focus in school and figuring out what I want to major in. This is only the end of one chapter in my life and the start to another. I am thankful for all the experiences and opportunities but I cant wait to see what is to come in my future!