Varsity basketball cheerleader Jessica Mack, a senior, poses in the Counseling Office on Oct. 18. Mack, a fourth-year member of the squad, will be participating in the Junior Gladiator Cheer Camp on Oct. 27 in anticipation of the Midnight Madness scrimmage on Nov. 3. “(The kids) come Saturday morning and we teach them everything they need to know and then next week, they get to perform,” Mack said. “It’s been a good turnout (in previous years) and the kids love it.” Photo by Valeria Garcia-Pozo
On Oct. 27, Clarke Central High School basketball cheerleading squad members will host the Junior Gladiator Cheer Camp at CCHS, an opportunity for children ages 5 to 13.
Members of the Clarke Central High School varsity and JV basketball cheerleading teams will host the Junior Gladiator Cheer Camp in the Old Gym on Oct. 27. The camp is a one-day event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. that will focus on teaching cheerleading skills to children ages 5 to 13 and costs $15 to attend.
According to JV basketball cheerleading coach LaToya Jewell, cheerleaders engage in a similar activity over the summer, but the October cheerleading camp is held in anticipation of the Midnight Madness basketball team scrimmage on Nov. 3.
“They will actually learn a series or routine to make up a dance, and with that, the Gladiator cheerleaders will assist the Junior Gladiators out on the court and they’ll perform a dance for that night so, that’s ultimately what it leads up to,” Jewell said.
Varsity basketball cheerleader Jessica Mack, who has previously assisted with the program, enjoys the hands-on aspect of teaching younger children at the cheer camp.
“The coaches pretty much run it, and (the cheerleaders are) the creative minds,” Mack said. “We would teach them the dances and the cheers and so they’ll take those and perform those at Midnight Madness. It’s kind of fun to see the little girls interact and getting to shine, too.”
According to Jewell, the Cheer Camp is student-led, and exposes members of the cheerleading team to younger cheerleaders with varying levels of experience.
“The cheerleaders are ultimately teaching the dance and helping the young kids,” Jewell said. “You have some that know how to cheer, you have some that have no cheering experience whatsoever, so collectively to get the young ladies together and show them that sooner or later when they hit high school they can be a Gladiator cheerleader as well.”
Jewell believes the event is a good way to get family members to attend the scrimmage. “The parents have their video cameras and regular cameras taking pictures and videoing, because it is a big deal. That’s something that they look forward to,” Jewell said. “Sooner or later, their daughters will be out there doing the same thing, helping the small kids.”
