This teen's reaction to making the cheer squad will leave you in a happy puddle of tears
The word "can't" isn't in 14-year-old Kayla Kosmalski's vocabulary.
"She has the most incredible grit and determination," her mom, Amy Kosmalski, told "Good Morning America."
Kayla, who has Down syndrome, has been dancing since she was 4, but hasn't been a cheerleader since she was 6. Still, she wanted to be part of her high school cheer team.
"Last year when we toured the high school she was so excited to learn there was a no-cut freshman team," Amy Kosmalski said. But due to COVID, that was cut along with some spots on varsity and JV.
So Kayla would have to compete with 36 others for 20 spots on the squad.
"Friday afternoon we got the news that tryouts would be Monday. Included in that message was the chant, cheer and dance she needed to learn by tryouts," her mom said.
Kayla got to work learning the words and choreography. She put in 16 hours of practice over the weekend. "We worked together all weekend because she wanted this so much," Kosmalski said.
Parents needed to stay in the car for the tryouts. Kosmalski told "GMA," "As she got out of the car and she put her hand on my knee and said, 'don't stress mom, I've got this."'
Kayla told "GMA" she felt confident at tryouts. "I worked hard practicing my cheers and dance," she said. I was thinking, 'I've got this."
Still, she was overwhelmed when she learned she made the squad. "I couldn't believe it, " Kayla Kosmalski said. "I was so happy I cried." She told "GMA" she was most excited to make new friends.
In an emotional video, Kayla learns she made the JV squad and in a tearful exchange with her mom, thanks her for her support.
In a Facebook post, Amy Kosmalski wrote: "Inclusion matters. For everyone." Her video racked up hundreds of supportive comments within minutes of being posted on Tuesday.
But of course, a mother's pride has nothing to do with making the squad.
"This girl makes me proud on a daily basis," Kosmalski told "GMA." "Whether or not she earned a spot on the team or not I know she was leaving everything on that field having prepped as hard as she possibly could."
