Ryle cheerleaders place among best

by Sarah Hardee, Enquirer Contributor   Ryle cheerleaders place among best

UNION — Cheerleading teams from two local schools brought home trophies this week from the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s National High School Cheerleading Championship.

Competing against squads from across the U.S., Ryle High School’s varsity cheerleaders placed fifth in the nation in the annual competition’s Medium Varsity Division I.

Dixie Heights High School’s varsity squad placed eighth in the same division.

“It’s one of the toughest divisions, and we had a lot of great competition,” said Debbie Pyles, Ryle’s head coach. “The girls’ success comes from their dedication to the sport and each other – it’s been hours and hours of practice this season, and they have made a lot of sacrifices.”

Ryle’s junior varsity squad also placed ninth in its Large Junior Varsity Division at the annual championship.

The National High School Cheerleading Championship is held each year at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. This year, it was Feb. 8-9.

Televised nationally on both ESPN and ESPN2, the event puts the cheerleading world’s “best of the best” in the spotlight, according to Pyles.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for cheerleaders all over the world,” Pyles said of the national championship, which also has “World School” competitions that include international teams.

“They make connections with other teams and make lifelong friends.”

Ryle’s varsity cheerleaders’ road to a coveted top five spot in their division this year actually began last year, when the squad placed ninth.

The team reached its goal of placing in the top 10 last year, so the cheerleaders made an even bigger goal before this year’s championship – making the top five.

They reached that goal this year with a relatively new team, according to Pyles.

Many of the girls on last year’s varsity team were seniors.

“We thought this year would be a rebuilding year, but it’s turned out to be an amazing year,” she said.

Though much of the team is new, the girls have already established a special camaraderie.

“We’re all so close, and it makes us a stronger team,” said Ryle sophomore Megan Herbert, who has been on the varsity team for the past two years. “We are supportive, and we’re always pushing each other to do better.”