Jenks' cheerleaders win competition

Many people in Green Country have long been in awe of the Jenks football team; they've won six state titles in a row. And that could be because the best cheerleaders in the nation are cheering them

Monday, December 31st 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Many people in Green Country have long been in awe of the Jenks football team; they've won six state titles in a row. And that could be because the best cheerleaders in the nation are cheering them on.

The Jenks Varsity Cheerleading squad took first place at the National Cheerleader's Association championship in Dallas. News on Six reporter Steve Berg has their story.

Their plane landed in Tulsa, but their spirits were still flying high. Less than 24 hours after being crowned the best cheerleaders in the land, they were still getting used to the magnitude of their accomplishment. Brianna DeMarco, Jenks cheerleader: "I'm just really excited, because we like made history, no Jenks squad has ever won nationals before, it's a really good feeling, I don't how to explain it really." Madison Baird, Jenks cheerleader: "I don't think it's sunk in yet, last night we couldn't sleep at all, we were so excited."

The girls beat out more than 3-dozen of the top cheerleading squads in the country to become the best of the best. They say cheerleading has evolved into a sport of its own right, requiring skill in gymnastics and dance, along with sheer athletic ability. Madison Baird, "We have the early morning practices, we have the two-a-day practices, you have to do alot outside of practice, individual work as well as working with the squad so not only is it a squad effort, it's an individual effort."

The gold megaphone trophy stands almost as tall as the girls. But the real prize, the thing that every cheerleader in the country covets more than anything else, is the championship jacket. Madison Baird, "It hasn't hit me yet really it hasn't, this morning when we woke up and I went to pack and I actually had the black jacket with me, it was amazing." Kirstin Dickerson, Jenks cheerleader: "We'll wear them to every basketball game, school, everywhere, we're proud of 'em, sleep in 'em, all of that.â€