It’s Showtime for area cheerleaders
Bob Jones competition cheerleaders will compete for the UCA National Championship this weekend (Record Photo/Lindsay Vaught)
MADISON- For cheerleaders at both Madison high schools and middle schools, the Super Bowl comes this weekend.
By Friday, over 100 cheerleaders, their sponsors, coaches and many parents will be in Orlando for the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship.
Discovery will compete in Large Junior High (building) division against 22 squads.
The competition cheer team has practiced two hours a week for nine months at Ace Cheerleading preparing for Nationals.
In addition, they cheered at football games.
“This is what they have been preparing for since last April,” said Emily Parker, cheer sponsor for Discovery Middle. “We worked all summer long. They only get to compete on the mat for two minutes and thirty seconds and its over.”
Discovery and Bob Jones won state titles back in December and competed in regionals in November to qualify for Nationals.
Parker said the team could be shown on television at a later date.
“They usually show the top teams, maybe the top five in late April.
I’m really proud of the girls and how hard they have worked. I’m confident we’re going to do the best we possibly can. This is the event they have been preparing for since last April when they tried out for the team.”
Discovery has won state and regional titles including this year but a national title has eluded the team in recent years.
“They want to make our school proud and the community proud,” said Parker, now in her third year as sponsor. Dan Harrod is the cheer coach for Discovery and Bob Jones.
Discovery Middle School Competition Cheerleaders pyramid in their show
(Record Photo/Lindsay Vaught)
This year’s DMS squad has 14 eighth graders and 8 seventh.
“I tell them to focus on hitting their routine because this is the last time they are all going to be together. I want them to be proud and leave everything on the mat. Winning would be great. Getting the white jackets and medals,” Parker said during a break last Sunday at the final public showing at Sparkman High.
Liberty, Meridianville and Monrovia Middle compete in Small Junior High.
James Clemens is in the Large Varsity Division with over 80 teams from all over the country. Bob Jones is in Small Varsity Division with over 100 teams competing.
Everyone is watching to see if James Clemens can repeat as National Champions in their division.
Bob Jones and Discovery team members and sponsors will fly direct to Orlando from Birmingham Thursday morning.
Competitions will be held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Jostens Center and HP Fieldhouse. Preliminaries are Saturday and finals are Sunday for those who advance.
