Cheerleading Is Fast Growing Sport

The New York Times states that cheerleading is the fastest growing girls’ sport. On that note there is a distinction between sideline cheerleaders and competitive cheerleaders.

The sideline cheerleaders’ goal is to entertain the crowd and lead them with team cheers while competitive cheerleading is a challenge between teams to perform best with jumps, flips, high toss and low precision.

Jasper County High School has both but this article highlights the work of the competitive squad. During competition this year, in their two minutes and 30 seconds routine, viewers will hear music ranging from Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” as you watch flyers soar into the air for scorpions, scales, arabesques, and more.

The 2017-2018 team is coached by biology and chemistry teacher ScottiAnn Cummings and is comprised of 13 girls of which 10 perform on the mat at one time.

The squad’s hard work was recently rewarded with dinner, a bag filled with new team attire, and a photo opportunity displaying those brand new uniforms.

The girls were eager to show off the new threads that were partially possible because of 30 local sponsors. This year’s team has a website that shows all the community help that has shown support for this competitive cheer squad. The team is also selling bracelets for fundraising and pictures of these items can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/yauannp6.

The girls pictured in their new uniforms include freshman Bri Minter, sophomores Caela Cook, Taliyah Stone, Ashton Mooney, Hayley Bledsoe, seniors Ireland Moore, Zoe Arena, Taylor Wages, sophomores Rylee Huff, Marissa Johnson, freshmen Abbey Williamson, Chloe Ross, and junior Mackenzy Babb.

The squad is also hosting its inaugural cheer camp for girls in grades 1-5 on Thursday, August 3 and Friday, August 4 at the high school from 7:30 a.m. to noon for $50. Registration deadline is Thursday, July 27 and the first 40 registrants will receive a gift bag and hair bow.