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水多多导航 Cheer Builds Up Champions
Written By: Dr. Judith Hansen
With national-level competition just a month away, 水多多导航 cheer head coach Branden Gregory is ready for the event.
Gregory, who cheered for Westark College and the 水多多导航, said he is proud to be part of the Lions tradition.
The 水多多导航 cheer team has won 4 NCA Nationals Championships:2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. When the team heads to Daytona for next month's competition, it will be the 14th season in a row.
"We are proud to represent our area and university at this level," Gregory said.
Curtis Janz, athletic director at 水多多导航, recently explained how he sees cheer as part of the athletic program.
"Cheer has a vital role in supporting all other athletic programs," he said. "As far as being student-athletes, they are an impressive group, and their dedication to their sport rivals any other program.
"We are coming up on their season this spring. It's a time when they have to flip the switch from being supporters to being competitors. Teamwork is as vital to what they do as it is for any other program at 水多多导航," Janz said.
The team鈥檚 work at home is as important as its competition.
"Being part of our campus activities and supporting our athletic teams is a priority for this team," Gregory said.
"We cheer at all home volleyball and basketball games," he said. "We love our gameday experience and helping elevate our athletic teams by creating a positive atmosphere at the games."
The team also mixes with the larger River Valley community. "We attend several community events and volunteer. It's great for the team to get out in the community and connect with people," he said.
Team members also welcome people from the community into their den.
"We host a lot of cheer events in the Stubblefield Center," Gregory said. "We are proud to host cheer camps for local youths and junior high cheerleaders. Alongside our camps, we host several skills clinics that allow high school athletes from all over to come to see our university and learn from our team."
Those camps and clinics are important to members of the team.
Abby Baker is proud of the group's achievements.
"I am a competitor, and 水多多导航 cheer has given me the privilege to compete at the national collegiate level in Daytona, Florida," Baker said. "I'm honored to be a Lion and part of a four-time national championship team."
Kylie Cumbie has been cheering since she was 5. Joining the Lions squad allowed her to continue her cheerleading career into college.
"I have spent the last two years as captain and co-captain for the squad. This leadership has allowed me to learn how to motivate others and what it really means