Phil Campbell Bobcat varsity (back row) and junior varsity (front row) cheerleaders started the summer off with four intense days of cheer camp at the University of Alabama.

By Alison James

FCT Managing Editor

alison.james@fct.wpengine.com

Cheerleading camp is an integral part of the program for some schools, and it’s no different in Phil Campbell.

Phil Campbell Bobcat varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders returned recently from Universal Cheerleaders Association’s first camp of the summer, held at the University of Alabama.

“There was about 700 girls there, about 40 squads,” said Theresa Garrard, varsity cheerleading sponsor, who attended the camp with junior varsity sponsor Joslyn Garrison.

Phil Campbell took about 18 girls to the four-day camp, where they learned new moves and worked on unity during days that ran from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“That day consists of sideline class, cheer class, dance class, stunt class and jump class,” Garrard said. “You have private coaching … and then of course the evaluations come toward the end of the day.

“It is a lot of hard work,” she said, but added, “They do try to incorporate some fun activities in.”

Squads get to show their stuff in a competition phase of camp. Phil Campbell junior varsity placed first in cheer, second in sideline and second in “extreme routine” in the division against five other squads. Varsity earned third in sideline and third in extreme routine against seven other squads in the division.

“It’s my favorite time of the year,” Garrard said. “That’s where they really bond as a squad … this is our time to be together and build our team and our relationships.”

Earning special recognition this year was senior Elizabeth Benford, who was selected as one of a few dozen All-Americans.

“They perform a jump, the dance and then a cheer,” Garrard said. As part of Benford’s selection as All-American, “she is eligible to go to London, England, to participate in their New Year’s Day parade,” Garrard said.

Another special aspect of this year’s camp was a speech by Karley Welborn, who was chosen last year to appear on the letter the cheerleaders send out for “Team Up for St. Jude,” a campaign to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Welborn was on the junior varsity squad when she was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma.

“We lost her for most of the year,” Garrard said. “It affected everybody.”

While Welborn was in Memphis, Tenn., at St. Jude undergoing treatment, she wound up doing a photo shoot for Varsity, the parent company for the UCA camp “not really knowing what it was going to entail.”

Having recovered from treatment and back on the squad this year, Welborn – and her teammates – found out just before camp that she would be the face of the Team Up campaign.

“Her story and her picture is going to be on those letters each school sends out,” Garrard said. “Hopefully it will inspire people to donate.”

She also got the chance to inspire her peers at camp.

“They asked her to get up and speak,” Garrard said. “They were getting to see her and what she’d gone through and where she was now. I think that helps – to put a real person’s face with a picture.”

Garrard said camp is important to help jump-start their program each year.

“From the day we walk in to the day we walk out, it’s a huge difference,” Garrard said. “They don’t see the improvements they have made from day 1 to day 4.”