Cheer Team Earns Top Honors At Camp
The McDonald County High School varsity cheerleaders capped off a successful two-day camp July 21-22 at Springdale High School by winning the Herkie Award for being named Best All-Around squad.
The honor was awarded by the staff of the National Cheerleaders Association.
“The girls worked hard all day both days, and I was really proud of them,” said coach Jill Dill. “They did a great job. They worked well with others, worked well with the instructors and represented our school really well.”
In addition to being named the Best All-Around, the team won the NCA Spirit Stick, Technical Excellence Award for Motion and received a Spirit Stick and a Superior Ribbon.
Dill said the NCA Spirit Stick is voted on by the teams attending the camp, while the technical excellence award is for how together, sharp and tight they hit each motion of the cheer.
The entire squad was also nominated for All-American for its motion technique.
Team captain Carlie Dill won a tryout of all All-American candidates to be named Top All-American and was invited to work at the NCA camp next summer. Team members include Payton Walters (co-captain), Brookelynn Cooper, Madison Smith, Hannah Huber, Caitlynn Stouder, Hannah Leonard, Jessica Rose, Lilly Parnell, Allyson Dill, Joslyn Banta, Bailey Barrett, Abby Bishop and Kitrell Hennighan.
Dill said the girls worked all summer in preparation for the camp and the 20162017 school year.
“We have been practicing Tuesdays and Thursdays all summer long leading up to camp,” Dill said. “The girls have come a long way since we first started practicing at the end of the school year. They did real well.”
Carlie Dill said winning the NCA Spirit Stick meant the most to her.
“The award I was most excited about was our team spirit award because it was nice to have all the other groups recognize that we are peppy and we try to encourage ourselves and the other teams,” she said. “I am so proud of the team. They all worked really hard this week.”
Walters said the team definitely grew closer together over the two days.
“I think it was really amazing just to see how well the team works together,” Walters said. “I was proud of how the team was so encouraging to all the other groups and teams.”
The McDonald County freshman cheerleaders also attended the camp and received several awards. The squad won Most Improved and received a Spirit Stick and a Superior Ribbon.
Maggie Amey was nominated as an All-American cheerleader. Other team members are Demi Meador, Tristen Hance, Chloe Teague, Heather Renner, Triston Lawson and Sam Whitehill.