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Big Apple invite thrills area girls
Published November 16, 2009
RICHWOOD — Competitive cheerleading is about teamwork, dedication and determination, coaches said, and it is because of their excellence demonstrating those skills that 14 Cheer Extreme members were invited to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
This is the first year the Richwood-based group of national championship cheerleaders from the area were invited to the annual New York City parade, and coaches say it will be an amazing experience.
“It’s a life-changing experience, something these girls might never be able to do again,” tumbling coach Misty Welch said.
In Karen Short’s 11 years of owning and coaching Cheer Extreme, her team never has been invited to the famous parade, she said.
“I was ecstatic,” said Sarah Hancock, 18, of Lake Jackson. Hancock is looking forward to all of the sightseeing the group will do, especially Central Park and the Statue of Liberty, she said.
She’s also excited about being on television, she said.
NBC will air the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live, with the group of cheerleaders walking in the middle of the parade and pausing to do a dance, Short said.
The team has less than a month to learn the dance they will perform at the parade, Short said. They recently received the DVDs showing them all of the moves.
The cheerleaders will meet several times to work together on the moves before leaving Saturday for New York and spending a week practicing with other cheerleaders from all over the country, Short said.
Serena Solis, 14, of Freeport expects it will take hard work to learn the routine before they fly to New York, she said.
The parade officials have the group’s week in New York planned out, including times for sightseeing, and are providing them with their neon uniforms, Short said.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity for me,” said Laura Gillin, 15, of Lake Jackson. Gillin has watched the videos of the moves they will be doing and thinks the program looks fun, she said.
Though the opportunity is great, the cheerleaders are just excited to be doing the thing they love.
Brooke Mize, 16, of Lake Jackson has been cheerleading for seven years and said she likes participating in the stunts, tumbling and dancing.
“You definitely have to have dedication and determination to learn all of the skills,” Mize said.
Katlynn Lanham is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0150.
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