By Molly Seales

On Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4, the Riverdale Academy 2022-2023 Varsity Cheer Squad attended a cheer clinic at Natchitoches Flipping Athletics (NFA.) These cheerleaders put in two days of hard work improving their jumps, working on fundamentals, and learning new stunts for the upcoming year. On Friday, freshman Ayla Knotts and sophomore Lilly Guillot won the jump off contest.

This was a great bonding experience for the new cheerleaders and the members from last year’s squad, and I think we all had a great time. New cheerleaders who attended the clinic were freshmen Hanna Catherine Huddleston and Ayla Knotts; juniors Sky McMullan and Maddie Whittington; and senior Baylee Whittington. Returning squad members who attended were freshmen Emma Giddings, Makayla Pickett, Ava Procell, and Julia Grace Riggs; sophomores Lilly Guillot, Kacie Harper, and Jadyn King; junior Kylie Donald; and senior Molly Seales. Unable to attend due to prior plans were junior Emily Cason and seniors Jessie Kate Cobb and captain Emma Clemons. These cheerleaders will travel to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX, in July for UCA Cheer Camp where they will further build on the skills they learned.

When asked about the NFA camp, cheer sponsor Sidney Jones said, “The girls did a really good job. This clinic was more hard-core than what they are used to, and I was proud of them.” As co-captain this year, I feel that we have a great group of girls that’s very excited about getting better and cheering on our Rebels. Emma was co-captain last year and is bringing great experience to fill the captain role, and I’m looking forward to working with her to give these cheerleaders the best year possible.

The cheerleaders will be having weekly practices this summer to prepare for football season, which will be here before we know it! The football boys started summer workouts on June 6, so everyone is in prep-mode for the fall.

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