Cookeville High School - Cookeville, Tennessee

Spirits soar as cheerleaders bring home eighth place

Molly Risley , Charger Staff

Congratulations are in order for our competition cheer squad. The girls recently competed in the Americheer National Cheer and Dance Competition in Orlando, Florida at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

To be eligible to cheer in this competition, a squad must meet one of two possible criteria. A squad must place first or win overall best at a regional cheer competition, or be one of the top ten groups at last year’s Americheer competition.
Our girls were among the top ten squads from last year’s competition.

Our squad competed and placed eighth in the small varsity (mount) diision. They competed with nineteen teams in the semi-finals before advancing to the finals.

Next year wil be a rebuilding year for the competition squad, as only five girls will return. The girls have decided that if they feel they cannot compete successfully as a unit next year , they will compete individually. “National individual competition is tied to a substantial amount of scholarship money”, says competition cheer coach, Brenda Huffine.
This year’s squad consists of Martia Patty, Rachel Taylor, Rebecca Pierce, Wynne Presley, Brandy Smotherman, Betsy Grizzard, Krystle Wordsworth, Elizabeth Doutt, Chelsea Stringer, Jenny Marcum, Tara Holt and Rachel Burks.
Not only have the girls been successful this year, but Huffine was honored by being named Who’s Who Among American Competition Cheer Coaches.

Of this year’s squad, Huffine says,” The seniors have been with me since their ninth grade year, and the girls I picked up have great attitudes. They never give up, they get along with each other, and they love and respect what they do. I hate to see the seniors go, because they have been a special and rewarding group to work with.”
Look for the returning cheerleaders to make a great impact next year!