Lucky to be alive, Madison athlete named to national cheer team

MADISON – As a main base for the West Georgia Owls cheer squad, Madison’s Aaliyah Washington has one of the most important positions in a stunt group. The main base needs to be strong, focused, have great technique and make sure her teammates have trust in the person who can simply make or break a performing stunt.

Washington has handled her responsibilities as well as can be expected, and being strong and resilient has been her personal makeup even before she was born as her mother underwent emergency Cesarean section surgery as doctors found Washington’s umbilical cord had twice wrapped around her neck. She has always understood through strong spiritual faith she was lucky to be alive.

Today, she is a senior member of the West Georgia cheer squad where she will graduate in December with a 3.6 grade point average and a degree in psychology and one day wants to open her own practice to help those with mental health issues. But for Washington, there’s a little more cheerleading she needs to face as her duties with the school last through the school’s athletic program schedules and the fact she has been selected as a member of the 2026 All Girl Premier U.S. National Team.

“Tryouts for the Premier Squad were held in October at Life University-Georgia and those selected received the news a few days ago,” said Washington.

She is one four local women from Madison chosen for the Premier Team as also selected were West Georgia teammates Jada Gibson, who attended Sparkman, Paris Dryer of James Clemens and Trinity Pointer formerly of Bob Jones. “I tried out last year, but was not selected. I was surprised when I got the news this time around, but this has been on my checklist as a cheerleader and I feel I’m now complete as a cheerleader,” Washington added.

“She has a lot of passion and dedication for cheer as she learned to go above and beyond what it takes to be a member of a cheer squad and has been a great role model in her four years on our squad,” said Nicole Nichols, head coach of the West Georgia cheer squad. “I’m proud of her to push herself and the program. Her actions have certainly raised the world of cheerleading, as a leader she has been an active listener for her teammates.”

The 5-foot-3, 130-pound athlete was a sensational cheerleader and track athlete while at Bob Jones where she participated in several events on the Patriots’ track team and finished second in state competition in the triple jump as a senior. On the squad in her senior year where she was team captain, the Lady Patriots earned the title of State Champion. Washington has come a long way from a right knee injury she suffered in the eighth grade causing her to miss the entire year of cheer and track.

As a young, active athlete growing up in Madison, Washington played softball, basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics and was also into dance. She began cheer at age six and soon graduated to competition cheer while attending Ace Cheer Company, located on Wall Triana Blvd. Today, she lives with three roommates just off the West Georgia campus, located in Carrollton just west of Atlanta, and works as a coach-instructor at Proven Cheer.

The West Georgia cheer squad will travel to Orlando, Fla. in January and defend its Div. I National Championship it won earlier this year at the Wide World of Sports facility at Disney World. The 22-year old Washington and her three Madison teammates will make the trip back to Orlando in April for the UCA World Championships as members of the 32-member Premier U.S. National Team. The team members will coordinate the squad’s sequence of the performance it will put together for the championship event. Prior to the intense April competition, members of the Premier Squad will meet at designated locations for practice sessions.

“I feel I was chosen due to my having a good tryout and as I showed confidence for the process,” added Washington, whose younger brother, Romeo Washington, has been chosen to participate in two All-Star football games after just completing his senior season of football at Bob Jones. “Our squad has worked hard at stunts, building pyramids and perfecting our tumbling.”