The DeKalb County Basketball Cheerleaders have won the 2009 TSSAA State Cheer Non-Building Championship. The competition was held Saturday at MTSU’s Murphy Center.
The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) began the State Cheerleading Championship in 1998. Since the first competition, the DeKalb County Basketball Cheerleaders have competed each year. During the last five years, they have won four State Cheer Championships.
The preparation for competition level performances began in July when the local cheerleaders participated in a Cheerleaders of America (COA) Cheer Camp. At the camp, Kendra Foutch and Amanda Ours were each named All American Cheerleaders, a prestigious award based on cheer skills, spirit, and leadership. Other awards presented at the camp were:
Best Gymnastics: Kendra Foutch,
Most Spirited: Amanda Ours,
Cheerleadership: Caroline Carter,
Best Stunter: Sydney Robinson,
Best Jumps: Jasmine Dimas.
The squad also a received a bid to perform during half-time at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on January 1, 2010 based on a camp evaluation of their cheer skills, spirit, work ethic, and enthusiasm. However, due to commitments to family, school, and basketball, the cheer squad will not be making the trip to Orlando for the New Year’s Day bowl game.
As school began, the cheer squad practiced relentlessly in improving their cheer techniques to prepare for another state championship bid. In November, the cheerleaders learned their 2009 competition routine which is high energy and focuses on cheer skills and other abilities that encourage crowd participation. They use poms, signs, and megaphones to add variety to their routine and enhance the pride of being a DCHS Tiger.
After placing 2nd in the UCA Tennessee Extreme Regional on November 21st, the routine underwent some tweaking to improve it’s visual effects, performance, and energy and all the perseverance and hard work has paid off with another state championship for the local cheerleaders
The members of the DCHS Basketball Cheerleading squad are Captains and Seniors: Amanda Ours, Kendra Foutch, and Caroline Carter;
Sophomores: Christian Atnip, Jasmine Dimas, Allyson Judkins, Allison Little, Cora Beth Rhody, Sydney Robinson, Ashlee Whitehead;
Freshmen: Destiny Caldwell, Erin Cantrell-Pryor, Kelsey Hale, Emily Webb.
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