Coach Sherrie Kirby said that in life, it’s important to “always have a Plan A,  Plan B and, sometimes, a Plan C. Kirby said in the case of the Belgreen High School varsity cheerleaders,  Plan C turned out to be the best plan to prepare them to be Spirit Leaders as they cheer for the first time on their new football field.

“Having a UCA Cheer Camp come to Belgreen High School was just what we needed,” Kirby said. “The private one-on-one instruction helped us improve our skills. The UCA instructor, Miss Toni Christian-Ford, a freshman and cheerleader at the University of Alabama, was so wonderful to work with. She bonded with the girls and gave them tips and pointers on how to improve. She helped raise their level of confidence.”

Kirby said having a BYO (Build Your Own) Cheer Camp enabled the BHS Cheerleaders to customize their camp for their specific needs while also learning new material.

“The cheerleaders were disappointed at first at not being able to attend a UCA Cheer camp somewhere because they thought they would miss out on the “fun” stuff, like Spirit Night, bonding with other teams and the competitions,” Kirby continued. “However, I promised them I would make this home camp as special as possible. We had our own Spirit Night, we bonded together as a team and we competed against each other.”

The BHS Varsity Cheerleaders came away with the following awards:

Team Award:Superior Trophy

All American: Kirby Schucker, Victoria Sykes, Lidseidy Donagustin, Madison Spears, Madison McKee, Halli Groce, Hannah McCalpin.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Dancing Diva: Victoria Sykes
Best facials: Halli Groce
Social butterfly: Hannah McCalpin
Hardest worker: Addison Waid
Miss Sunshine: Lidseidy Donagustin
Fearless: Kailee Moore
Best Motions: Madison McKee
Base Bomb: Madison Spears
Jump Off Winner: Kirby Schucker

Kirby said at the end of the camp, all of the BHS Varsity Cheerleaders agreed the camp was “special” and “fun,” adding they all said the camp was “just what we needed.”

“The success that the BHS Varsity Cheerleaders achieved at this BYO UCA cheer camp is a testament to the positive impact cheerleading has on young people,” Kirby added. “It fosters a sense of community. The BHS Varsity Cheerleaders are very excited to be Spirit Leaders to lead the Belgreen Community in supporting all of the 2024-2025 sports at Belgreen High School.”