THOMASVILLE — Seven Thomasville High School cheerleaders were named UCA All-Americans over the summer during their UCA camp in Florida. Now, they are raising money to attend and cheer at the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando and partake in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Day Parade in Hawaii.
According to head coach Kris Presha, the team attended the FCA cheerleading camp in past years, but when she took over as head coach, the team asked for a change in camps with one more focused on stunting.
“This camp offers more and gave us more one-on-one time with an actual cheer coach,” Presha said. “They learned a lot of routines and about stunting. That was the main thing the girls wanted to learn.”
Presha said it was important the girls learned how to perform shoulder stands and dismount properly.
“It was different for them, but I think they really enjoyed it,” she said.
Sophomore Kinley Harrison, who attended FCA Camp last year, said the two camps differed vastly, but she loved everything she learned over the summer.
“We learned a lot more cheers and stunting,” she said. “I would love to go back again.”
Senior Anna Shokat agreed.
“It was a really great experience,” she said. “We got to bond as a team and the staff was great; we learned a lot of new routines to use as a team.”
After learning various stunts, chants, and cheers, cheerleaders were allowed to try out for All-American.
The tryout asked each cheerleader to perform the choreographed dance, lead the cheer they were taught, and complete a jump.
“Prepping for it was kind of hard, but once we got it, we got it,” Harrison said.
Harrison, Madison Clark, Regan Gibson, Jessica Jones, Shokat, Jordyn Bush, and Makayla Clark made the cut.
“It didn’t work out for me my junior year, so to have this senior year is really great,” Shokat said.
These seven cheerleaders now have the chance to attend the Pearl Harbor Memorial Day Parade.
“They will cheer in the parade and it would be a week-long adventure if we raise the money,” Presha said. “But, on the backhand of that, they have the opportunity to cheer at the Cheez-It Bowl, which is in Orlando in December.”
Both of these opportunities are unique and once-in-a-lifetime for the girls, who are currently raising funds through sponsorships on the new football scoreboard.
“I just am so excited about the possibility of going to the Cheez-It Bowl,” Harrison said. “Everything is different from last year, getting this new experience to meet new people is fun and exciting.”
Presha said there are three levels of sponsorship opportunities: $300, $500, and $1,000.
“The girls are going around to different businesses and a lot of individuals have donated, and we appreciate all the giving,” she said.
Those interested in donating can contact Presha, who will allocate the money among the cheerleaders evenly.