PENDLETON — The seniors for the Pendleton Heights cheerleading squad have adopted the motto, “Seniors Don’t Play”.
The group, which coach Brenda Jamerson refers to as “The Magnificent Seven”, are backing that up with hard work and a set of goals as they attempt to finish their high school careers unbeaten at the Indiana State Fair cheer contest.
Abby Galliher, Haley Graybill, Charlcie Holden, Alexyss Jackson, Tatum King, Riley Tomey and Kylie Wolverton are this year’s seniors who lead a team totaling 30.
The group has been slowed only by the weather, with last year’s competition washed out by rain, ending a three-year reign as champs. Wolverton said that disappointment has added fire and motivation to this year’s efforts to bring home another championship, which would be her third in three tries.
“State Fair has always been a unique competition,” Wolverton said. “One, you compete twice; and two, you get a patch for it. We want to come back and say we won it all three years.”
Jamerson said seven — eight including mascot Jessica MacMillan — is a large class of seniors. She added having a group that large can lead to infighting and bickering, but that this group has been special.
“Sometimes, you get seniors who are competing for power,” Jamerson said. “But these girls all sort of know their roles. This group is determined, yet they have a laid-back side, and they really understand each other.”
“We all try to see each other’s sides and cooperate,” Wolverton added. “I think that makes it easy to cheer.”
Jamerson said because of the rain-out last year she changed the format for her team’s performance. Instead of competing in “voice only,” they will be performing a mix of music and voice, which is the same format as the state competition in November.
“We always did all words because the county fairs are all words,” she said. “But after the rain out, I’m not going to make the girls work on a routine all summer, then not be able to compete. We changed to the music division, which is similar to the state competition, so if (state fair) gets rained out, we didn’t waste our time and start all over.”
The Arabians placed second and third at the past two fall state competitions, both by slim margins. Jamerson said she feels working on that routine all summer could boost their chances in November.
“That’s what we hope,” Wolverton said. “That extra three months could put us over the edge.”
Jamerson added that Wolverton and the rest of this year’s senior class has done nothing but make her proud.
“I just love them,” Jamerson said. “They’re good girls. Even on a bad day they’re good girls. And that’s the truth. They have ownership in everything they do, good or bad.”
Woleverton said it’s important the cheerleaders represent Pendleton Heights in a positive manner, whether it is on the basketball court, at competitions or just walking the halls of her high school.
“It’s about representing our school in a different way than other cheerleaders represent their schools,” she said. “There’s that stereotype that cheerleaders are mean or stuck up, but Brenda teaches us to be the nice girls and try to talk with everyone. People are looking at you, at halftime of the basketball games, they look at us while we’re in line at the concession stand. Are we being nice to people or are we talking bad about someone?”
“I’ve probably learned most by being a cheerleader is how to carry myself,” Wolverton added. “And how to show everyone how we really are, not who they want us to be or believe us to be.”
The squad has been participating in daily weight training and conditioning alongside the other athletes of Pendleton Heights, including football and soccer players. And they are practicing their routine — two and a half minutes of cheer and dance — in preparation for the state fair competition, which is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 12.
