Sheridan cheerleaders win third consecutive state title
SHERIDAN — The Sheridan cheerleading team won its third straight state championship Dec. 16 at the Bank of Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs.
“It is very challenging balancing our cheer season,” head coach Dana Morton said, “[with] the transition between basketball and football seasons, then our own practices.
“Balancing all that, as well as our extra practice time, is just a lot to manage for the kids, for the coaches.”
The Sheridan Lady Yellowjackets comprise 23 girls, including three seniors who have been a part of the team since they were sophomores — captain Madison Holloway and co-captains Parker Minnick and Nicole Tompkins.
“It is very special,” Morton said. “Not many kids get to go through their high school career and win three state championships.”
Morton is in her third season as head coach but has been working in the Sheridan School District for 17 years. She currently teaches Advanced Placement calculus and Pre-AP algebra for the high school.
“We work many hours outside the school,” Morton said of her team’s discipline. “We come in early and stay late. We may not get the gym until the volleyball games are over, and we may come in at 7 a.m.”
Morton said the team starts practicing in June and works through the end of January. She said they also have several students who play softball and soccer and participate in track.
“Other than that, we go yearround,” Morton said.
At the competition, the teams are split according to classification, as well as performance division — which is where Sheridan competes — and a game-day division. The Lady Yellowjackets competed against Russellville, Lake Hamilton, Benton, Greenwood and West Memphis.
“Russellville finished runner-up,” Morton said.
She said the team travels to Little Rock once a week to be taught by choreographer Blake Bishop at Cheer City United. Morton, who formerly coached gymnastics for 10 years at Pinnacle Gymnastics in Sheridan, said many of the cheerleaders are former gymnasts.
“We are very close,” Morton said. “We spend a lot of time together, cheering at games and practicing.
“We have a close bond.” Morton said two weeks prior to the state championships, the team lost a couple of competitions.
“We worked on getting our confidence built back up, and thankfully, it all came together [Dec. 16],” Morton said. “The last two weeks before state, we were focused on consistency and building up confidence.”
Morton said she took over as coach after her cousin, Vicki Strong, retired.
“She had won state championships and two runner-up titles in her three years of coaching,” Morton said. “My daughter, Hayley, was on the team.
“She graduated last year and is at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. I decided to step in and take over. I knew what the program was like and wanted to carry on the tradition.”
Morton said she thanks athletic director Matt Scarbrough and other administrators for their support.
“I also want to thank the parents for the support they have given this entire team,” Morton said.