The Tyrone cheerleaders have been putting in extra time to perfect their routines for the football games and the upcoming competition season.
After the football season ends, the team plans to travel to several competitions this year and even hopes to host one themselves.
This season is the cheer team’s first with new head coach Skylar Rudasill.
In the past, the team has had two coaches but this year Rudasill is managing the team herself.
According to junior Hailey Lowery, Rudasill is doing a great job and has been a positive addition to the team.
“I am really excited for this year’s competition team. This is our first year with our new coach and I love all the new ideas she has been bringing to the team,” Lowery said.
However, these new perspectives and fresh ideas will take time to execute.
Getting ready for the competition season means more time devoted to practicing routines. This will be a challenge for athletes who also participate in other sports or have part-time jobs.
The cheer season is unlike other varsity sports because it spans more than one season. The girls make an eleven-month commitment starting in the summer with their UCA cheer camp and going all the way through the winter competition season.
Unfortunately, several team members have already been dealing with setbacks such as injuries and scheduling difficulties.
Sophomore Makayla Howard and junior Addison Warren are both dealing with injuries that prevent them from doing certain stunts and moves, while Lowery and other members have had to make sacrifices in their work and activity schedules to be there for the team.
“I call off three days a week just for football season, but once competition season [begins] I will be calling off for two extra days for our extra practices,” Lowery said.
The captains for this year are seniors Kasey Daughenbaugh, Jasmine Walk, and Lily Eckley.
Returning members include juniors Addison Warren, Lydia Morgan, Miley Fink, Hailey Shultz, Braylinne Shaw, Hailey Lowery, and Sarah Weakland.
First-year members of the squad are freshman Sierra Gurekovich, and sophomores Ashelyn Vanallman and Makayla Howard.
Lowery said she would like to encourage others to give cheer and try and had some advice for potential new members.
“Forget about being embarrassed and just cheer,” Lowery said. “Our job is to be able to engage the crowd and bring positivity, you can’t do that if you are too scared to put yourself out there. Just cheer because you want to and have fun.”
