The beginning of a new school year is also the beginning of a new football season, which also means new additions to the cheer team. This year’s varsity cheer team has been split into two squads: basketball and football. The football cheer team’s captains are seniors Matherly Eskey and Hannah Day. The rest of the squad is made up of seniors Ja’lyn Knick and Kensley Yeatts, juniors Bryanna Powell and Savannah Scearce, sophomores Elena Booth, Caitlyn Jarrett, Macy Mayberry, Tatalia Preston, and Mallary Yeatts, and freshmen Riley Canavan and Jasmine Robertson.

No football game is complete without the cheerleaders cheering the team on, regardless if they are winning or losing. “I think my favorite part about cheering is either doing the fight song at games or dancing at halftime. Something about the adrenaline and energy during those two things are really just the best,” said senior Kensley Yeatts. The cheers are essential to football games, not only do they help get the crowd excited, but they provide support to the football team.

 A lot of the girls have been cheering since grade school, and developed a true passion for it. “I am going to miss cheerleading so much! I’ve been cheering since second grade, and it’s wild to think I won’t be cheering next year,” said captain Hannah Day. Not only have most of these girls cheered together most of their lives, but they have become a family.

Junior Bryanna Powell said, “My favorite thing [about cheer] is the bond that I have made with the girls on my team and all of the dancing we do at the games.”

Another thing the cheerleaders have a major role in is pep rally homecoming week. They pick the themes and decorate the school according to said themes.

“My favorite thing about cheering is planning pep rally and homecoming week,” said junior Savannah Scearce.

For spirit day the cheerleaders make signs for the pep rally and they also cheer along with their classmates to get everyone excited for the game.