LaFayette cheerleaders looking to ride last year's momentum
Last fall, the LaFayette High School cheer squad placed fourth in Region 7-4A to qualify for state and head coach Nicole Harris says that this year's team is definitely feeding off that momentum.
“Last year, they really didn’t know what they were fighting for, having not been to state in so long,” she explained. “They didn’t know what (going to state) was like or what it meant to be top four in region.
“Now that they have that, their work ethic, their determination and their drive is 10 times greater than it was last year.”
LaFayette lost just three to graduation and will return nine seniors along with a few new underclassmen.
“We’re coming back strong and we’ve been working hard since the summer,” she said. “The three we graduated last year were alternates, so I’m basically coming back with the same team that we had a year ago and they’re determined. We set the bar last year and they liked that feeling of making it to state, so it’s definitely our goal to get back there this year.”
Madison Barrett and Dominique Southern are this year’s captains for the all-girl varsity competition squad, while the rest of the senior class includes cocaptains Hope Bolton, Asberri Freeman and Autumn Lowe, along with Draven Burrage, Hannah Durham and Kayla Richardson.
Aaron Asbeury, the squad’s lone male cheerleader, does not perform on the competition squad, but cheers on Friday nights and lends the competition squad his support.
“With nine seniors, I worried about that battle for authority for a while, but they have worked it out well,” Harris said. “Madison and Dominique have a level, clear mind and they understand the needs of the individuals on the team and the team as a whole.
They’re great to recognize where we need to work hard and how to keep everyone motivated.
The rest of the competition squad includes juniors Addison Alexander, Deshia Dew, Allie Durham, Gracie Freeman and Desiree
Langston, sophomores Chelsey Durham, Amber Kendrick, Mya Qureshi and Aubrey Steadman, and freshmen JuliAnna Harris, Jordyn Meeks and Petra Parker.
“We definitely boosted up the tumbling this year since we have more good tumblers,” she explained. “We also increased our pyramid stunts.
However, LaFayette
is already dealing with a few bites from the dreading injury bug.
“This past week has been rough as we’ve sustained some injuries,” Harris added. “We’re kind of backpedaling right now, trying to revamp and make some things work, but we’re hoping that in a couple of weeks, we’ll be right back where we need to be.”