Clarke Central High School varsity football cheerleader Camaya Lyles, a Class of 2024 alumna, stands in front of the bleachers at Cedar Shoals High School’s Waters-Wilkins Stadium during the 57th Classic City Championship on Aug. 19, 2023. For CCHS varsity football cheerleading co-captain Se’Kayia Miller, the history of the championship between the two schools brings the Athens community closer to each other. “Everybody comes together from all over Athens,” Miller said. “Even older people will come back. If they went to Cedar or if they went to Central, they still all come together and go to games every year.” Photo by Aza Khan
The CCHS varsity football cheerleading team is ready to show out at the 58th Classic City Championship.
The Clarke Central High School varsity football cheerleading team will perform during the 58th Classic City Championship at Billy Henderson Stadium on Aug. 15 at 6:30 p.m.
The team has been having team bonding sessions and practicing consistently throughout the summer before the fall season in anticipation of their first major game.
“This summer, we’ve practiced three to four times a week. We go back and forth from the weight room so that we can improve on our health, our strength, and being able to maintain the heat while we’re out there,” CCHS varsity football cheerleading assistant coach De’Qeria Brown said. “We’ve also taught a lot of cheers, and we have a platform where we post the cheers so every girl can make sure she is getting the needed material to prepare for game day.”
“Every day they come wanting to get better. I’ve seen a lot of improvement.”
— De’Qeria Brown,
CCHS varsity football cheerleading assistant coach
Brown attributes the team’s strengthened abilities to dedicating themselves in practice through their consistent efforts.
“Every day they come wanting to get better. I’ve seen a lot of improvement from last season,” Brown said. “We started not knowing anything about stunting, (then) I came in for camp, we put together stunt groups, and now we’ve (improved) our skill level.”
CCHS senior and varsity football cheerleading co-captain Se’Kayia Miller doesn’t view her position on the team as superior over her teammates, but as a way to unify them.
“We just have the title so we can help everybody get into formations and make sure everything’s going smoothly,” Miller said. “I wouldn’t say we’re in charge, because nobody’s in charge. We’re all on the same level and are all holding each other accountable, but I feel that us captains are just there to help put that type of dynamic into place.”
Since cheering at the varsity football team’s preseason scrimmage at Marietta High School on Aug. 8, Miller has more confidence about how the cheer team is going to fare against CSHS.
“We’re all very excited and nervous. It’s our first (real) game with almost a brand new team, because a lot of new people this year have never cheered before,” Miller said. “We did use the (preseason scrimmage) as our practice to get ready for the Cedar versus Central game, so we can go out there and put on a show and do our best for everybody in the crowd.”
