• 37°
franklin county times

RHS cheerleaders do well at camp

Contributed The members of the Russellville High School Golden Tigers cheerleading squad stand with the awards recently won at the UCA cheerleading camp at Auburn University. The members of the squad are (left to right) bottom row: Seniors Lacey Oliver, Michaela Cox, Co-Captain Brooke Smith, Captain Julie Masterson, Nicole Crittenden; middle row: Juniors Caitlyn Tompkins, Brooklyn Hall, Hannah Price, Kennedy Palmer, Ashley Brown, Lynsi Bragwell; back row: Sophomores Michael-Ann Blackburn, Jill Masterson, Bryanna Smith and Amber Gibson. Sponsor is Stephanie Mayfield.
Contributed
The members of the Russellville High School Golden Tigers cheerleading squad stand with the awards recently won at the UCA cheerleading camp at Auburn University. The members of the squad are (left to right) bottom row: Seniors Lacey Oliver, Michaela Cox, Co-Captain Brooke Smith, Captain Julie Masterson, Nicole Crittenden; middle row: Juniors Caitlyn Tompkins, Brooklyn Hall, Hannah Price, Kennedy Palmer, Ashley Brown, Lynsi Bragwell; back row: Sophomores Michael-Ann Blackburn, Jill Masterson, Bryanna Smith and Amber Gibson. Sponsor is Stephanie Mayfield.

AUBURN — The Russellville High school Golden Tigers cheerleading squad recently attended an UCA cheer camp at Auburn University.

The camp gave the Russellville cheerleaders not only an opportunity to learn no routines and techniques, but it gave the talented group a chance to show off what they knew already and what they learned during the camp’s instruction.

“We went down on a Tuesday and spent the night at the Auburn Hotel,” said Russellville High School cheer sponsor Stephanie Mayfield.

“That way the girls wouldn’t be so worn out when we started the camp the next morning. The next day we went to register, and the girls got their picture made with Aubie.

“We got settled into the new dormitories that are brand new for students at Auburn. They were wonderful. We started our camp at 1 p.m. that day, and that night we performed our Home Pom.”

There were several different categories of events that the Russellville cheer squad competed in, as well as some competition outside of cheerleading itself.

Russellville was awarded a spirit stick each day at camp from UCA staff for effort and leadership and a special spirit stick awarded for Best Outfit at the Retro Flashback Dance Party.  This award was given to only one squad at camp.

The squad also received blue Superior ribbons each day at camp for their performances in Cheer & Extreme routine, first place in Cheer, first place in Extreme Routine, first place in Game Day Camp Champs, first in their division on Home Pom and fourth overall in Varsity Cheer division.

Five out of five senior cheerleaders from Russellville made UCA All-Stars: Julie Masterson, Brooke Smith, Michaela Cox, Nicole Crittenden and Lacey Oliver.

The RHS mascot “Champ” made UCA All-Star as well, with Stacy Godsey being the squad member inside the outfit.

“Champ” and Godsey also received the “Mascot’s Traditions” Award at the camp.

Three seniors were pinned by other cheerleaders for Outstanding Leadership in a “ Pin It Forward” ceremony.  They were Masterson, Smith and Cox.

Three Russellville seniors, Masterson, Smith and Oliver, also were selected to try out for UCA staff.

Winning this many awards and accolades is a testament to the hard work and dedication put forth by the squad.

“It takes a lot of hard work,” Mayfield said. “The girls worked tremendously hard. American Health and Fitness let us come up there for a discounted price for the girls. We worked out.

“They ran and had a regiment of small weights to help with our building, because our building is tremendous. We have girls that do high-flying stunts.

“It takes a tremendous amount of athleticism and showmanship, and it takes great dancers.

“A lot of these girls spend hours in the gym taking dance and stunting classes. Their hard work really showed through.”

The “Game Day” trophy won by Russellville has great meaning to the squad, as it is awarded to only one group.

“We put everything we learned together on the last day, which is Game Day, and we got first place in Cheer, which gave us a trophy,” Mayfield said.

“On “Game Day” they will call out a situation, like the defense is pushing them back, and the cheer captain will have to call out the appropriate cheer and the girls perform it. We got Game Day champs, which was awesome.”

Aside from all of the accolades won by Russellville at the cheer camp, the group will also benefit from the new cheers and techniques taught to them by UCA staff.

“It helps tremendously,” Mayfield said. “At each session we learn new things, and the cheers they learn they can bring back to Russellville.

“The coaches get copies of those cheers. We also learn an extreme routine, and that’s a dance we can bring back and perform at basketball games or at pep rallies.”

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x