Who puts the pep in our hearts? Who keeps us going when the Warriors are absorbing a tough loss? Who keeps smiling and moving and keeping Warrior spirit strong no matter what? It’s the cheer squad. And for this group of women, it’s not just a job it’s a way of life.

The varsity cheer squad is lead this year by captains Colie Gfroerer and Kamryn Long and co-captains Morgan Forbes and Marisa Humphreys, and they all say they are enthused by the level of commitment of their teammates. If there’s any shortage of school spirit at Grady Stadium this fall when the Dubs play, this won’t be blamed on the cheer squad, the captains say. “This years squad has a lot of new girls and a ton of raw talent,” said Gfroerer. “I am very excited to see what we can accomplish this year as a squad.”

Tryouts for the squad were held in April and the competition was fierce. More than 50 girls tried out. The process of selecting the select group was reviewed by cheerleading coach Jennifer Page. And for the all-important selection process, Page was assisted by Coach Quevin Rush, Coach Wanda Bell and and Coach Kemari Jones.

The team will be comprised of senior veterans Kenson Marbut and Jaylah Jackson along with sophomore newcomers Caroline Grice, Kaelin Finney, Jayden Bohannon, Rosie Sapp, Leslie Goosby, Jala Stubbs and Summer McMurray. Between the new and the old, the squad has come together as a squad. “We haven’t had much time together, but each and every practice our bond becomes stronger. We love each other, we love to cheer but there’s one more thing that we all hate — running,” said Forbes.

She was referring to the perhaps surprising reality that all cheerleader practices include some running to improve fitness.  

These girls do not let the negative stereotypes of cheerleaders get in the way of their enjoyment of their craft. Many sports fanatics attend the games in order to watch the athletes between the white lines perform, but what these viewers do not realize is the power and agility of the girls on the sidelines as well. “Cheering is definitely harder than people think,” said Forbes. “Stunts are not easy and they require a ton of practice. Getting a group of 25 girls to cooperate and get in sync is never something that comes overnight. To be a cheerleader, you have to be way more athletic than you’d think.”

This year’s cheerleading squad is full of talent, as well as personality. The squad is coming along and is stoked now that football season is here. Team members have put in a lot of work over the past four months, and are excited to see what they can do. Collectively, they will be loud and proud on Friday nights. They got spirit (it’s clear) — how about you?