On Nov. 7, Leesville’s Varsity cheerleaders won first place in their division at the NCHSAA State Cheerleading Invitational at the Raleigh Convention Center.
The competition was split into four divisions, small, medium, large and extra large, depending on team size. Leesville’s 16 girl squad competed in the medium division.
The girls competed in many different aspects of cheerleading, ranging from jumps, stunts, tumbling and overall appearance. The cheerleaders worked to achieve a certain number of points in each area, and whichever team had the highest overall number of points won the competition.
“It felt really good to win first place, we’ve had a really good squad for a couple of years now, and it felt great to have our talent recognized,” said Jacqui Brooks, senior cheerleader.
The cheerleader’s success can be credited to a two hour practices on week-days and the help of Andre, a volunteer tumbling and stunting coach. Another factor contributing to their success is “an awesome fan base of Leesville students and parents” said Morgan Hamilton, freshman cheerleader.
Hamilton confirms, “I was really nervous at first, but when I saw everyone was there supporting the team, I felt so relieved.”
Ms. Reathaford, varsity cheer coach, confirms, “The competition went great. It was the first time a lot of the girls had competed at this level, and they really exceeded my expectations. Hopefully they’ll continue to live up to these expectations at our next three competitions.”
Katy has been on staff since her sophomore year, starting as a staff writer. With hard work and diligence, she earned a junior editor position and ultimately became Editor-in-Chief her senior year. She will pursue a degree in journalism in college.
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