The junior varsity and varsity cheer teams at Mathews High School attended the Universal Cheerleading Association Camp at Old Dominion University in Norfolk on Aug. 6-8, coming home with a number of ribbons and other awards.
A dozen North Carolina and Virginia schools’ JV and varsity cheer programs attended.
The first day of camp the MHS varsity team received a blue ribbon for its stunt learned at camp; JV received a red ribbon. Both teams earned a spirit stick.
First Day award winner Katelynn Blake was chosen by the UCA staff, the recipient of the Pin it Forward Award given to the cheerleaders who demonstrate great cheerleading technique and being a great person in general. They, in turn, gave the award on the second day of camp to another cheerleader they thought also demonstrated the same qualities.
On the second day of camp, both squads received a blue ribbon for superior technique in stunts, as well as a spirit stick. The Mathews varsity squad prepared two routines to show at camp and received blue ribbon superior awards for both their home dance and fight song dance. The JV team earned a blue ribbon for its fight song dance.
The entire Mathews cheer program was awarded the Top Banana Award on the second day. The Top Banana award is given to one squad which displays leadership and an overwhelming amount of spirit each day. It is returned after each day to be given out on the final day to the squad which displays the most spirit and leadership during the entire camp.
On the final day, both the JV and varsity teams received fourth place trophies for their Extreme Routines learned at camp. The dance included stunts that were incorporated into the routines. The JV team received a second-place trophy for most improved. Varsity girls brought home the trophy for being the superior squad during camp by showing consistent excellence. This earned them an invitation to perform at the pre-game of the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on New Year’s Day.
Varsity cheerleaders Cora Ewell, Lizzie Stokes, Addi Boyer and Lauren Bland were selected by their coach, Deona Pavik, to attend a leadership class at camp. They were in turn selected by UCA to participate in the Varsity Spirit Spectacular hosted at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.
Lauren Bland, a rising sophomore at MHS, was selected as an All American. Bland has been invited to perform in the London New Year’s Day Parade with other All Americans from across the country. The All Americans are selected from those attending UCA camps by tryouts. The girls performed a jump, extreme routine dance and a cheer.
To top off the day, the entire cheer program from Mathews High School was awarded the coveted Top Banana to take home.
The MHS cheerleading program is coached by Deona Pavik (varsity) and Jennifer Hughes (JV).