Junior high cheer pumps up Tigers
By Brandi Miller for the FCT
Being a cheerleader is not easy. Cheerleaders stay busy attending practice, learning dances, keeping the crowd in the game, learning all the different motions to cheers, tumbling, making signs each week and doing a million other little things that go into making each successful. The synchronization of 12 girls is not something that is accomplished quickly or easily.
“Due to most of my squad playing other sports, we practice one day a week for two hours,” said Red Bay High School junior high cheerleader sponsor Candi Fuller. “Cheerleaders are required to be at the ballgames 30 minutes prior to kick off or tip off so they can go over the cheers and stunts that have been planned for that game.”
Twelve girls make up the RBHS junior high cheerleading squad for the 2017-2018 season. Six freshman, three eighth-graders and three seventh graders will be cheering on the Tigers and making sure fans are always into the game.
The work began long before the season did.
“We attended cheer camp at the University of Alabama May 30 through June 2,” said Fuller. “We learned an extreme routine, cheer, chants, sideline cheers and a dance. The UCA staff taught proper building technique and also new stunts.”
Fuller said that being a cheerleader is not only hard work and time-consuming but is also very expensive. Uniforms, shoes, pom poms, camp clothes, camp warm-up suit, cheer bag and other supplies comes to approximately $1,200. Cheerleaders either fundraise or pay out of pocket for this expense.
“Cheerleaders do not have a booster club that supports them,” said Fuller. “We do not even have a means of transportation to football games, so parents have to drive their daughters to/from games. Thankfully, last year Mr. Mitchell made it possible for my girls to have a ride to the basketball games. This was so nice considering lots of games, we have to leave immediately after school, and parents can’t take off work to drive their children to the game. In addition, it gets very tedious during basketball season when cheerleaders have to stay for four separate games two to three nights a week.”
Cheerleaders are also expected to keep their grades up while they are on the squad. Cheerleaders must maintain at least a C average, and Fuller said she is very strict about this rule. She said many times during basketball season, several of the girls can be found between games studying and doing homework.
The captain of the junior high squad is Alexis Tabbs, and co-captain is Cassidy Kuykendall. Tabbs also had the honor of making UCA All American Cheerleader at camp this summer.
Fuller said she makes the decision on captain, and the girls choose their co-captain after several practices, selecting someone they feel stepped up and demonstrated leadership in the squad.
