Cheer squad takes first, wins grand championship
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
GENTRY ó The high school cheerleaders took first place in the 4 A cheer competition in Van Buren Saturday and won the grand championship award as well.
Joni Wilson, the squadís coach, said this was one of the most exciting wins she has had in her career as the Gentry High School cheer coach because this yearís squad is a young group with five sophomores and a freshman on the floor.
ì Senior Megan Hodges tore her ACL a few weeks ago and is out for competition season, î Wilson said. ì She will be having surgery in a couple of weeks. This really hurt us a lot; she was one of our main bases. î
ì You really have to admire freshman Lacey Stephens who has stepped up as a freshman to try and fill Meganís spot, î Wilson said. ì She had to basically learn everything in a few weeks, while the others had all summer. î
This is the first year the Arkansas Activities Association officially recognized cheerleading as a sport. When that happened this summer, the association moved the competition season to the fall, giving the young squad less time to get ready.
ì They were not used to competing until the end of January and February, î Wilson said. ì There is a big difference in competing this early in the year, and it has been very stressful. The girls have worked extremely hard the last three weeks making changes and trying to prepare for the competition season. If they improve in the next three weeks as much as they have the last three, we should do well at the state competition, î she said.
ì I am just really proud of these girls for not giving up, î Wilson said.
The team will compete at 1 p. m. this Saturday, at Benton. They will have the next weekend off for Thanksgiving and then travel to Bryant on Saturday, Dec. 6, for the state finals.
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