Rec cheer camp continues to grow

Posted 9/6/22

What started as a dream coming out of Powell High School in 2017 for Deasia Daugherty has blossomed into a rapidly growing, two week cheerleading program in Powell — allowing youth from grades …

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Rec cheer camp continues to grow

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What started as a dream coming out of Powell High School in 2017 for Deasia Daugherty has blossomed into a rapidly growing, two week cheerleading program in Powell — allowing youth from grades four to eight to learn how to cheer.

“In 2017, right after I graduated high school I went to the Powell Rec Department and presented my idea for a youth cheer camp to Colby Stenerson,” Daugherty said. “He took it to the board and it was approved for that summer. I had four total cheerleaders between both squads and we ended up combining the squads together.”

What started out as only four cheerleaders has become 21; seven of those cheerleaders feature on the “Cheetahs” in fourth and fifth grade, while the other 14 feature on the “Sharks.”

This year’s camp, held the first two weeks of August, also introduced seven of those cheerleaders to the All-Star squad for the first time.

The camp features practices for an hour and a half Monday-Thursday, followed by team bonding at Homesteader Park followed by swimming on the first Friday and then a performance on the second Friday.

The practices help athletes learn sideline cheers, jumps and stunts before putting all of their skills together into a two minute, 30-second routine.

For years Daugherty has had a multitude of different helpers with the program including her grandma Sharon Daugherty, but has consistently had Annie Price the past two years — another PHS grad and cheerleading alumni helping fourth and fifth graders.

“We work a lot on giving these girls confidence,” Price said. “If we see them second guessing themselves at all we are right there to support them and get them out of their heads and back to knowing they can do it.”

The program has started to serve as a way for cheerleaders to get experience during the summer, and improve their skills before potentially trying out for the PHS cheer team when they reach high school.

“I love cheerleading and I was very nervous when I started in high school, so to give the girls that extra bit of confidence going into tryouts means the world,” Price said. “We also just have fun with the camp. We are not being scored or competing so there is no pressure.”

The camp has produced multiple athletes who have tried out for the high school program, with each one making it onto the team in past years — and even one moving on to the Division I level.

One girl who aged out of the program this year was Nyah Johnson, who said that the camp was intense, but helped to build the confidence of the performers before the final performance.

Johnson said she hopes the public performance helps to bring other girls into the program, and that it will help more girls succeed and make the PHS cheer program like she did this year.

Johnson is one of many among the program who said the camp has helped them improve and grow, whether just one year or all five years they can participate.

“I am hoping that the cheerleaders took away that no matter what they are going through, no matter their status, no matter their abilities, that we all are family and family shows up for each other,” Daugherty said.

Both Price and Johnson hope that the program continues to grow in the coming years, and continues to inspire youth in Powell to participate in cheerleading.

Those wishing to learn more about the program or donate to help the program continue to grow can contact Price at annie.price2869@gmail.com or Daugherty at deasia_daugherty99@icloud.com.

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