Oxford High School Cheer Team Claims National Title

Last weekend, Oxford High School’s cheer squad experienced magic while visiting the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. And, what they brought home was much more than a fantasy.  

Oxford High School claimed the National High School Cheerleading Championship title in a moment that former Ole Miss cheerleader and co-coach of the competition squad, Nicole Robinson, described as a dream come true that “still seems so surreal.” 
“Most cheerleaders grow up watching the championships on ESPN and dreaming of the opportunity to be on that stage,” Robinson said. “Getting to watch our girls’ faces as ‘Oxford High School’ was called was an amazing moment that none of us will be able to forget.”

The Charger cheerleaders competed in the medium division of the Game Day national competition. Against teams across the country, the Oxford cheerleaders were able to battle through to the final round and face squads from New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida and Louisiana. 
Robinson said laying claim to Oxford High School Cheer’s first ever national title was an accomplishment that took a tremendous amount of time, sweat and, above all, devotion.
The road to the championship began in May, as soon as cheerleading tryouts ended. The cheerleaders then practiced three days a week, beginning at 7 a.m., throughout the summer.
When school began again in August, the squad practiced daily after students were dismissed from class. The team even trained often with Ole Miss Cheer Coach Trey Griffith, who helped the cheerleaders improve in certain areas, such as stunts. 
While the team stayed on their toes in preparation for the competition, Robinson and Oxford High’s head varsity cheer coach, Allison Wally, had several priorities to keep their focus and time occupied as well. 
“We are working hard to build a quality cheer program at Oxford High School,” Robinson said. “Our priority will always be cheering on the sidelines of the Charger games and promoting school spirit. However, cheerleaders are being drawn more and more into the competitive field. By focusing on the Gameday competitions, we are able to focus on the best of both.” 
 

---

By Wes Cooper, an intern for HottyToddy.com and a student of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. He can be reached at jwcooper@go.olemiss.edu.
For questions or comments, email hottytoddynews@gmail.com.