From Special Reports – The Charles Henderson varsity cheerleaders recently attended the National Cheerleaders Association summer camp at Auburn University.

The camp was attended by over 500 cheerleaders from both Alabama and Georgia.

The CHHS varsity team has been in preparations since May, with conditioning, running and gymnastics. During June and July, the team held daily three-hour practices.

At the NCA camp, the team competed and received numerous superior and excellent ribbons on cheer technique, jumps, tumbling and stunts.

The team also received the NCA’s TEAM award, as voted on by other member squads at the camp. Four

CHHS cheerleaders, Addy Felix, Felicia Bean, Alicia Farmer and Elizabeth Williford, competed in the all-girls stunt competition. Adrianne Bazzell, Williford, Lacey Bassett and Bea Gaskin, were nominated as All-Americans by the NCA staff. The girls are eligible to compete during halftime in many of college football’s postseason bowl games and can compete in the National Individual Competition in November.

Bazzell, the team’s co-captain, also made the Top Gun finals, the competition whose winner is crowned for having the best jump at camp.

CHHS also received the "Spirit Stick", for overall spirit exhibited throughout the week, and received the Motion Technique award for the squad with the best cheer execution. The team was offered a bid to compete in the National High School Cheerleader Championships in Dallas, Tx., come December. The bid was awarded based on the team’s home cheer, which was performed the first night of camp.

CHHS finished off the camp by taking its highest prize, the Top Team Award. CHHS competed in the varsity elite division on a routine perfected during the week.

After taking a week off, the team will continue preparations for the upcoming fall football season, as well as state and national competitions.