Mission Columbus for Gordon Lee cheerleaders
Gordon Lee High School’s competition cheerleading squad got a somewhat early jump on the 2016 season with a competition last Saturday at Pepperell and the Navy-and-White are hoping for more solid showings in what they hope will be a road that ends in Columbus.
“We did well for our first time out,” said Gordon Lee cheer coach Mandy Sturdivant. “We lost to Trion by one point (in the Class 1A Division). Trion is always strong, but we’re excited to be competitive with them this year.”
Gordon Lee, which came off a trip to state last year after the squad placed second in Region 7-2A, will have experience on their side this year in the form of nine seniors, who have the Class 1A state finals in Columbus firmly in their sights.
“They’re on a mission this year and that mission is to be on the floor in Columbus on Nov. 11,” Sturdivant explained. “Then they want to be one of the ones called down to be in the finals.”
This year’s senior class includes Kendyl Brooks, Lexie Clark, Haley Elliott, Jordan Howard, Kailey Lewis, Josie Melton, Hayley Stevens, Molly Vandiver and Addison Whitman.
“They bring many years’ of experience with them,” Sturdivant continued. “All of them are leaders on the floor and very good in different areas. Some are strong tumblers and some of them are very good at picking the routine apart and noticing the little things to help us clean up our execution points.”
The rest of the squad includes juniors Chloe Keith, Ali Millican and Ansleigh Sturdivant.
Behind them are sophomores Erica Jones, Macall Miller and Autumn Wren, while the freshman class is comprised of Kailey Claire, Kara Roper, Bailey Schrader, Baleigh Smith and Jordan Yancey.
Sturdivant said tumbling was perhaps the squad’s greatest single skill this season and that it would be prominently featured in this
year’s routine.
She said that the routine would have plenty of difficulty and that they planned to do the full routine right from the very start of the season.
“We’ve always tried to maximize our points as far as difficulty goes, but we usually have to water (the routine) down at the beginning of the season and build on it as we go,” she added. “This year, though, the girls said they wanted to go for broke and if they didn’t
do well (at the start of the season) that was fine. You can always take difficulty out (of a routine), but it’s really tough to add it in.
“We didn’t do well in some areas (at Pepperell), but that’s ok. Hopefully it will motivate them to do better this week and the weeks to come. Plus, we have to avoid injuries. I know that goes for any squad with the short season that we have, but we have to avoid them for us to be the best we can be.”