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The Newport High School Varsity Cheerleaders won State Runner-up honors at the Arkansas Activity Association State Cheer competition held Saturday at Summit Arena in Hot Springs.
This is the first title attempt for the cheerleaders who dominated state competition in the 1990’s winning or finishing second three consecutive seasons in the late ‘90’s.
This is the first time in several years - eight - the school has competed in competitive cheer.
“When we decided to declare as a sport and become competitive, I thought this would be a chance for us to see what it took so that next year we could really compete,” said Coach Judy Beard.
“But once we started practicing I knew the girls had the ability to be competitive this year.”
Senior Captain Haley Watson echoed Beard’s feelings.
“This was our first year to compete in a while and for us to finish as state runners-up is a really big deal,” said Watson.
“I think since we hadn't competed in the past and didn't have that experience that we just felt like it was best to wait, but this year we just decided, 'why not.'”
Jeremy Laxton, UALR Cheer Coach, choreographed the routine and worked with the girls on technique.
“Jeremy taught the skills, I just made them do it over and over again, which wasn’t always what the girls wanted.”
Their competitive routine - two and a-half minutes - consisted of a cheer, a dance, a pyramid and “four or five” building sequences, according to Watson.
“We just had to spend a lot of time working on it and learning what we needed to learn. It was a lot of time and hard work.”
She continued, “We have been practicing since August pretty much every day.”
Watson, which along with Beard has overseen that hard work since before school started, recognized early on the responsibility that her captainship brought.
“It has been a big responsibility all year long with Homecoming and football games and basketball games, especially with this. We practice every day during class, after school and then another four hours on Sundays practicing. It was a really big responsibility but it was a lot of fun too.”
Newport competed in Regional competition in Mayflower Dec. 17 and won top honors. “This gave them the confidence that they really could compete,” said Beard.
Newport was the last of 13 teams to compete in the state finals.
“I didn’t let the girls watch the other teams, I was afraid that it would just make them nervous. I think that was a good decision,” Beard noted
Newport stuck every stunt in the two and a half minute routine, according to Beard.
“I had a really good feeling after they performed but you never know what the judges will think.”
Top honors went to Prairie Grove High School, Valley View finished third.
Besides the Runner-up Trophy, the girls earned an invitation to compete at Nationals in Orlando, Fla. in February. They also received a bid to the National Cheerleading Association Nationals in Dallas, Texas during their summer clinic.
Although the girls will not compete in either competition this year it will be part of the plan for 2012. “I am only losing three girls and have a lot of talent moving up next year so Nationals will be a goal next year,” said Beard. “The girls now know what it takes to compete and they all seem determined to win top honor in 2012 and earn the right to compete in Orlando.”
Watson thinks that this year’s squad laid the groundwork for future success at Newport High School.
“I think that our squad has gone and seen that we can do something like this without having competed in a number of years and gotten runners-up in state that they are dedicated and motivated to bring a state championship here.”
She added, “We had a really great group of girls that really worked hard and was a lot of fun to compete with.”
Watson, a three year member of the squad, credits their camaraderie with their success.
“I think - inside of school, apart from the squad - that all of us are more friends than maybe in the past. Usually on a squad you've got that Senior-Sophomore gap, but we are all really close and hang out together.”
“When you spend as much time together as we do you kind of have to be.”
This year - what they have to be is champions.
The Newport High School Varsity Cheerleaders won State Runner-up honors at the Arkansas Activity Association State Cheer competition held Saturday at Summit Arena in Hot Springs.
This is the first title attempt for the cheerleaders who dominated state competition in the 1990’s winning or finishing second three consecutive seasons in the late ‘90’s.
This is the first time in several years - eight - the school has competed in competitive cheer.
“When we decided to declare as a sport and become competitive, I thought this would be a chance for us to see what it took so that next year we could really compete,” said Coach Judy Beard.
“But once we started practicing I knew the girls had the ability to be competitive this year.”
Senior Captain Haley Watson echoed Beard’s feelings.
“This was our first year to compete in a while and for us to finish as state runners-up is a really big deal,” said Watson.
“I think since we hadn't competed in the past and didn't have that experience that we just felt like it was best to wait, but this year we just decided, 'why not.'”
Jeremy Laxton, UALR Cheer Coach, choreographed the routine and worked with the girls on technique.
“Jeremy taught the skills, I just made them do it over and over again, which wasn’t always what the girls wanted.”
Their competitive routine - two and a-half minutes - consisted of a cheer, a dance, a pyramid and “four or five” building sequences, according to Watson.
“We just had to spend a lot of time working on it and learning what we needed to learn. It was a lot of time and hard work.”
She continued, “We have been practicing since August pretty much every day.”
Watson, which along with Beard has overseen that hard work since before school started, recognized early on the responsibility that her captainship brought.
“It has been a big responsibility all year long with Homecoming and football games and basketball games, especially with this. We practice every day during class, after school and then another four hours on Sundays practicing. It was a really big responsibility but it was a lot of fun too.”
Newport competed in Regional competition in Mayflower Dec. 17 and won top honors. “This gave them the confidence that they really could compete,” said Beard.
Newport was the last of 13 teams to compete in the state finals.
“I didn’t let the girls watch the other teams, I was afraid that it would just make them nervous. I think that was a good decision,” Beard noted
Newport stuck every stunt in the two and a half minute routine, according to Beard.
“I had a really good feeling after they performed but you never know what the judges will think.”
Top honors went to Prairie Grove High School, Valley View finished third.
Besides the Runner-up Trophy, the girls earned an invitation to compete at Nationals in Orlando, Fla. in February. They also received a bid to the National Cheerleading Association Nationals in Dallas, Texas during their summer clinic.
Although the girls will not compete in either competition this year it will be part of the plan for 2012. “I am only losing three girls and have a lot of talent moving up next year so Nationals will be a goal next year,” said Beard. “The girls now know what it takes to compete and they all seem determined to win top honor in 2012 and earn the right to compete in Orlando.”
Watson thinks that this year’s squad laid the groundwork for future success at Newport High School.
“I think that our squad has gone and seen that we can do something like this without having competed in a number of years and gotten runners-up in state that they are dedicated and motivated to bring a state championship here.”
She added, “We had a really great group of girls that really worked hard and was a lot of fun to compete with.”
Watson, a three year member of the squad, credits their camaraderie with their success.
“I think - inside of school, apart from the squad - that all of us are more friends than maybe in the past. Usually on a squad you've got that Senior-Sophomore gap, but we are all really close and hang out together.”
“When you spend as much time together as we do you kind of have to be.”
This year - what they have to be is champions.
