Saturdays in Death Valley are all about adrenaline. The mix of gameday spirit, football and good company is what draws in many to be a part of the LSU family, and this was no different for one cheerleader.
Under the blinding stadium lights and the roar of over 100,000 fans, Kelvin Pickett channels that energy as one of the members of LSU’s coed cheer team, showcasing his strength and skill as he tosses flyers up in the air all night.
His heart doesn’t just stay in the stadium, however. When he’s not in uniform, Pickett is pursuing his journey to becoming an ICU nurse.
Pickett didn’t start cheerleading until his cousin suggested transitioning from gymnastics to full-time tumbling. He was asked by friends to attend a practice for Prodigy All-Stars in the sixth grade, and Pickett’s cheerleading journey then took off at only age 11.
Though he started out on a prep-level team, Pickett made a large jump from Level 2 to Level 5, where he competed with Prodigy All-Stars Moonlight for two years during seventh and eighth grade.
“Moonlight kind of just got me in the rhythm of understanding how to be an athlete,” Pickett said.
Soon after, Pickett joined his first Worlds team in high school, Prodigy All-Stars Midnight, where he truly found his passion for cheering at a high level.
“This team, honestly, was the first team to really show me what it’s like to be a part of a family,” Pickett said. “But also know what it’s like to have that ‘dog’ mentality and to get after it.”
Knowing that cheer was something he wanted to take to the next level, Pickett chose LSU over other offers, because he knew he’d be able to flourish in the Death Valley atmosphere.
Pickett arrived on his first day of classes as an animal science major. He soon discovered working with animals wasn’t his true passion and decided to switch his major to Kinesiology. He found out through pre-physical therapy that being a doctor hadn’t piqued his interest either.
A talk with his cousin and aunt planted the idea of nursing in his head.
For him, this choice makes sense, because both cheer and nursing share similar qualities of strength, composure and compassion.
There are many parallels between ICU nurses and competitive cheerleaders. From an emotional standpoint, mental toughness is of the utmost importance in both fields and was something Pickett learned early on in his time with Prodigy All-Stars Midnight.
“Their coaching style is very ‘you either have it or you don’t,’” Pickett said. “You’re either the best or you’re not. So I take that into everything that I do. Whether I’m studying, whether I’m practicing or even on a game day — you’re either the best at what you’re doing or you’re the worst.”
The added pressure that comes with the ICU or Tiger Stadium makes resilience a key characteristic, whether on the mat or in the trauma unit.
“Something can go wrong, but you have to be able to turn around, keep it going and not think about it,” Pickett said. “Move on and just drop it.”
The ability to stay composed under pressure extends beyond performance. On a more endearing level, it’s the teamwork, trust and shared sense of purpose within both cheerleading and nursing that continue to draw him in.
“The most rewarding part is understanding other people, learning, meeting and just getting close with the people,” Pickett said.
That same appreciation for human connection is something Pickett carries with him off the mat. It gives his career goals a deeper meaning and shapes the way he approaches every challenge.
The motivation to become a trauma nurse for Pickett is the heart behind the strength.
Both cheer and nursing have pushed him to defy expectations in fields that aren’t exactly male-dominated. It’s helped him find a version of strength that’s not just muscle and endurance, but also empathy.
“In high stress situations, emotions are a good thing,” Pickett said. “I always tell myself, emotions show that you are in tune with everything that you are feeling in your body.”
Embracing emotion isn’t a sign of weakness, but proof of awareness and care.
In both cheerleading and nursing, pressure is inevitable, but how you respond to it is what defines who you are. He’s learned that composure doesn’t mean suppressing what you feel, but rather channeling it into focus, empathy and toughness.
Pickett’s concept of strength is what connects his passion for cheer to his passion for nursing.
“Whether it’s ‘I have to go and compete,’ or ‘I have to make sure that this person who’s sitting in front of me has the best last experience that they can have on this planet,’ I’m going to make sure that it gets done,” Pickett said. “Not only for them, but for myself and whatever emotions I’m feeling right now.”
As he gets closer to the end of his cheerleading career, Pickett’s drive toward nursing continues to grow. The years he’s spent on the mat have not only shaped his leadership and discipline, but also taught him resilient lessons that he’s ready to carry into his next pursuit.
“What keeps me going is knowing that this is going to end,” Pickett said. “Yes, it has been a big part of my life, and I’m really grateful for everyone that’s here with me, but I will still be who I am through thick and thin … showing up and showing out by using everything that I’ve learned in this new career path that I plan to pursue.”
