Alabama School for the Blind and Munford High School cheerleading squads teamed up for a pep rally held in ASB’s gym Tuesday. The MHS cheerleaders have been helping the ASB cheerleaders with some routines throughout the school year.
ASB and Munford High School cheer squads teamed up for a pep rally that showcased their cheerleading and teamwork skills.
Once the ASB wrestling team charged into the gym, the ASB and MHS cheer squads, students and faculty members, greeted them with a generous amount of applause.
After a spirited performance from ASB’s Redskin mascot, the ASB cheerleaders took center stage and performed several routines.
MHS’ cheerleading squad also took center stage and performed some of their routines, then both ASB and MHS squads performed together.
The performances were followed by a spirit competition for each grade level.
The pep rally helped get students pumped up for a wrestling match against the Piedmont Bulldogs and Lincoln Golden Bears later that evening
But the pep rally also served as a showcase of hard work that both ASB and MHS cheerleading squads have put in over the school year.
When the school year began around August, ASB Cheerleading Coach Jennifer Hammock contacted the MHS cheerleading coach with a favor to ask.
“I contacted one of the coaches and asked them to come and help us do a stunt clinic because they hadn’t worked with stunts,” Hammock said.
Members of the MHS cheerleading squad ended up helping with more than stunts.
Pretty soon, they were teaching some of their home cheers as well as several line cheers and dance routines to the ASB cheerleaders.
“I wanted to provide the experience for these girls to help someone else, and the reward of giving themselves for no personal gain,” said MHS Assistant Cheerleading Coach Melissa Parnell.
All of the ASB cheerleading squad’s hard work definitely paid off.
The squad won first place in a Schools for the Blind Wrestling and Cheer Tournament that was held in Oklahoma on Jan. 15.
ASB Cheerleading Captain Kierra Bell, a junior, also won an Outstanding Cheerleader Award from the competition, and the ASB wrestling team also won first place in their tournament.
The ASB Redskin mascot and ASB Principal Charlotte Lowry presented trophies to Bell and the winning teams, and thanked the MHS cheerleaders for working with them.
Of her award as Outstanding Cheerleader, Bell said, “I’ve really enjoyed it. I surprised myself; I was nervous being out by myself in front of five or six different schools.”
Bell has been cheering for about five years now, and was nervous about performing by herself for the Outstanding Cheerleader competition that featured captains from all the cheerleading squads.
Bell said that she enjoyed her time performing in the pep rally with the MHS cheerleaders, and looks forward to working with them next year.
“It’s my first time cheering with a public school team and I felt more advanced,” Bell said.
Kristen Derby, a freshman ASB cheerleader has a backspot position on the squad, and is responsible for holding up cheerleaders during stunts.
Derby said she wasn’t quite sure what to do in her position at first but that she now has a better understanding of her role on the squad.
“They’re awesome at teaching us new cheers,” Derby said.
In addition to helping out with her squad, Hammock said that MHS Cheerleading Captain Maggie Parnell also came to help the ASB cheerleaders on Saturdays.
“We’ve learned to not to think of ourselves and to reach out and build a bridge,” Parnell said.
MHS Cheerleading captain Erika Haynes said the experience has helped her make new friends, and has also served as an opportunity for their squad to learn some ASB cheers and routines.
“All the girls from Munford have been so sweet and so helpful,” Hammock said.
“It just tickled the [ASB] cheerleaders to death to have someone come and do something with them.”
Contact Aziza Jackson at ajackson@dailyhome.com.
