There’s a first time for everything, and Hampton Junior Football Association cheerleaders made the most of theirs.
During CheerFest, held in September at Deer Lakes High School, the Hampton girls scored numerous first-, second- and third-place finishes as determined by a panel of judges.
“They had been working so hard, but they’ve not done a cheer competition before,” assistant coach Heather Midgley said. “So I think they surprised themselves.”
Competing in CheerFest were girls from the six communities participating in the Northern 28 Football League, divided into squads of ages 8 and under, 10 and under, and 12 and under. Each squad performed its halftime routine, followed by specialized competitions in stunting, tumbling, and jumping.
Members of Hampton’s 8U squad earned first place in jumping, second in tumbling and third in stunting. Girls in the 10U division place second overall, and individuals within the squad took second and third in both jumping and tumbling.
In the 12U division, Hampton placed third overall, with third places also achieved in jumping and tumbling.
“It was so encouraging to see how much they were supporting one another, cheering for the teams that were out there. It was such a positive experience,” head coach Katie Sullivan said. “And at the end, while we were waiting for the tallies to be scored, watching them run to the other teams and dance together in little dance circles, it was really cute.”
Midgley agreed.
“It was so good seeing girls lifting each other up and creating a positive environment, when sometimes that’s not always done for girls,” she said. “And showing that girls can be strong is also a great thing.”
Deer Lakes coaches further commended the camaraderie.
“They were on the field not only cheering for their cheerleaders, but they were encouraging the other squads, too, and cheering them on and complimenting each other,” head coach Katelyn Ingoldsby said. “And I think it was nice to see them, as a league, do that all together.”
At CheerFest, Deer Lakes’ 8-and-under girls earned first place in the team competition. Violet Chandler took first in tumbling, and the group of Ari Ingoldsby, Liv McKay, Liliana Nicely, Anna Brinton and Leanne McGowan finished second in stunting.
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Lila Chanadet, Jaelynn Levy, Charlotte Tribanas, Ali Stotlemyer and Maci McIntyre took second in stunting among the 10U teams.
“We’re just so incredibly proud of the progress that they’ve made,” assistant coach Stephanie Skrbin said. “We always encourage them to continue to smile, to have fun, just to enjoy cheerleading. And we really try to reinforce that.”
Future CheerFest events are scheduled at Ford City in 2025 and Hampton in 2026.