At UCA camp in Auburn are: (back row, left to right) Maggie Williams, Emaree Willis, Emily Murray, Carley Seal and Chloe Plott; (middle row, left to right) Kaidin Wallace, Ashlee Davidson and Chloe Pounders; (front row on knees, left to right) Jill Masterson, Bryanna Smith, Jessica McSpadden (captain), Amber Gibson (co-captain), Michael Ann Blackburn and Devin Jones; (front center) Morgan Seay (mascot). The squad is coached by Stephanie Mayfield.

By Alison James

alison.james@fct.wpengine.com

The football players aren’t the only Golden Tigers who have used the summer to prepare for Friday nights in Golden Tiger Stadium.

The Russellville High School cheerleaders have been to camp at Auburn for the past two years as part of their summer practice and training. It’s “a smaller camp, comparatively to a beach camp or even – Alabama is so packed, it’s hard to get that one-on-one instruction, and at Auburn, we receive that instruction that I think the girls need so desperately. We get a one-on-one UCA instructor,” explained Coach Stephanie Mayfield.

“They teach us fundamentals of building; we learn new dance routines; we learn new cheers that we bring back to our squad and incorporate throughout the year,” Mayfield said.

The squad represented Russellville well at camp, pulling the following recognition:  first place in extreme routine, first place in sideline cheer and second place in cheer. The squad won Gameday Champs in its division, “which is a huge honor and the most coveted award of the week,” Mayfield said. Rated superior squad winner, the team also brought home a win with mascot Champ, who earned most spirited mascot and qualified as an All-American Mascot.

Champ wasn’t the only all American. Seven of the eight seniors on the squad were designated All Americans, an honor given to roughly 60 out of hundreds of cheerleaders at the camp.

If that wasn’t enough, six of the eight seniors impressed the camp staff enough to be invited back to be staffers themselves.

Mayfield said the girls love camp, and she is excited to see them bring what they have learned to the field and the court as each sports season begins.

“Our job is to inspire the crowd to be motivational for the team,” said Mayfield, adding that her primary goal was for the squad “to bring excitement and entertainment to the crowds and support our sports.”

Of course, even cheerleaders need someone to root for them. Mayfield said the high school administration is behind the cheer squad every step of the way.

“Coach Heaton supports us 100 percent. He’s always interacting with these girls and makes us feel like part of the team,” Mayfield said.