Massachusetts cheerleader with Down syndrome inspires fellow students

By: Stephanie Staudinger

Posted: Dec 4, 2017 5:00 PM CDT

MIDDLEBORO, Mass. -- A cheerleader continues to inspire his peers at a high school in Massachusetts.

Evan Adelman has Down syndrome, but it's not holding him back. CBS Boston reports he and his Middleboro High School teammates performed over the weekend weekend at Gillette Stadium, which is the biggest stadium in the state.

This is his first year on the squad. Adelman says he likes doing cartwheels because "it's fun." And he doesn't just go through the motions — he crushes those cartwheels. In fact, they're Adelman's claim to fame.

"His flips are crazy," said teammate Hanna Kaplinger.

But that's not the most important thing the 17-year-old does for the cheerleading squad.

"It's amazing to see how much he can do with the challenges he goes through," said teammate Tiffani Capeau.

"He comes in, he makes a joke or he does some weird, crazy tumbling that no one's seen before, but he can do it," added cheerleader Paige Crites.

"Evan can do everything that all these girls are doing," said coach Alyssa Shelters. "I think it gives the girls a little more motivation to see that he tries so hard and he works really hard and he does it all, and they can try really hard and they can do everything they want to do, too."