By: Adam Freeman
The Tucker County High School Cheerleaders have had a busy and successful season, thus far. Their season began in August, when they kicked off cheering for the high school football team. While most fans see them under the Friday night lights, few realize the long hours that go into perfecting their routines for competitions. The team practices three hours a day, four to five nights a week, and sometimes even on Saturdays, to prepare for their competitive season.
Cheer competitions begin in October and continue into November, culminating in the state competition, which is the goal. In regionals, the TCHS squad must perform two routines: a highly technical cheer under 40 seconds and a two-minute-and-thirty-second routine that showcases their stunts, tumbling, jumping, and dance. With no do-overs, every second counts, and precision is everything.
This season, the team faced several setbacks, including injuries that forced them to miss the PVC competition. Despite those challenges, they bounced back stronger than ever. On Saturday, they traveled to Elkins to compete in the “Battle of the Mountaintop”, and their hard work paid off. Tucker County placed first in Class A and third overall across all divisions, an outstanding achievement.
Next up, the TCHS Cheerleaders will compete at Regionals on Saturday at Lincoln High School, beginning at 1:00 p.m to hopefully secure a trip to the State Competition. To prepare for the big day, the team will host a Showcase on Tuesday, November 5, at 6:30 p.m. in the TCBOE Annex Gym. The showcase will serve as a “prep” performance and an opportunity for the community to come out and cheer them on.
