Cheerleaders tumble into season

Dust off your pom-poms and put on your tumbling shoes because the GC&SU cheerleaders are looking for a few more girls to join the squad for the 2005-2006 season.

“I’m looking for girls who have a solid standing back tuck and would make good bases,” said Coach Demond Walker.

Cheerleading advisor Dr. Jerry Fly will be holding open try-outs until the middle of September.

This season’s squad has a reputation to uphold. The GC&SU cheerleading squad won the National Cheerleading Association Division II National Championships in 1998, 1999, and 2001. They were second place in 2003 and 2005. The team has finished in the top six for the past ten consecutive years.

This season’s conference competition will be held March 1 through 5 at Landers University in Greenwood, SC.

The national competition is April 5 through 9 in Daytona, FL. At nationals, they will face their most intense competition, Hawaii Pacific University.

Senior cheerleader Kella Smith said anyone interested in being on the squad should “be prepared to give a lot of your time.”

The GC&SU cheerleading squad practices four days a week from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and more time will be put into practicing as the conference and national competitions near. They also cheer at home basketball games, teach summer cheerleading camps to pay for nationals and perform “The Nutcracker” during the holiday season to pay for the squad dinner while at the national competition.

Some of the benefits of being a member of the cheerleading squad are “meeting new people, and the squad works as a support group, especially for incoming freshmen,” said cheerleader Julie Harrison, a sophomore.

Ashley Harrison, also a sophomore, said,

“I like the sense of accomplishment I feel when we stick a stunt that’s been giving us trouble. And…priority registration.”

“The girls get to have fun, be part of an organization, compete, cheer at basketball games, do community service and stay in good shape,” Fly said.

Currently, the squad is busy working on basketball cheers and their competition routine.

The GC&SU cheerleaders have “positive attitudes and are hard workers. The squad’s weaknesses are stunts and tumbling,” Walker said. “I anticipate coming home with the national title this season.”

To schedule a try-out appointment, call Dr. Jerry Fly at (478) 445-0939.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 9 2005. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry