Every year the cheerleaders, under the guidance of Cheer Coach Becky Haenfler, prepare a Little Pirate Cheer Camp for elementary and junior high students to learn cheer skills and experience what it is like to be a cheerleader. This year, cheer camp was held on February 13, and the performance was on February 16 during the halftime of the boys basketball game against Gayville-Volin.

Cheer camp helps students who are thinking about becoming a cheerleader in the future learn basic cheer moves. It also helps future cheerleaders prepare for cheering in front of large crowds. “Teaching future cheerleaders what cheer is all about,” was Reese Powers’s favorite part of cheer camp. Camp t-shirts and snacks were also provided for participants.

This year there were fifty-five participants for cheer camp. There were four groups: preschool and kindergarten, first and second grade, third and fourth grade, and fifth through eighth grade. The older girls’ group learned the floor cheer “Step Back, Sit Down” and a dance routine to the song “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel. During the dance performance the oldest group prepared a prep stunt, shoulder sit stunt, and two thigh stand stunts. The three younger groups each learned a sideline cheer and joined in on the dance routine during the chorus of “Uptown Girl.”