Life lessons through cheerleading and legacies: CHS cheer squad celebrates 100th year
Clinton Dragons senior cheerleaders are Anna Hackworth, Hayden Scarbrough, Kendra Holbrook, Reese Rittenberry, Rylee Gann, Olivia Marlow and Shelby Moore. (photo:Tony Cox )
Cheerleading squads have been part of the mystique that is high school football on a Friday night for …
Well, as long as there has been high school football on Friday nights.
It’s not just pompoms and back flips — though that’s certainly part of the magic. But to be able to pull that magic off there is work involved, countless hours of practice, and like any athlete in any sport, there has to be a desire to excel.
For the Clinton High School cheerleading squad, the 2023 season has been that times 100.
The CHS cheer team is celebrating the school’s 100th year of fielding a cheer squad.
“It’s been special,” said Reese Rittenbeery, co-captain of the cheer squad. “I’m proud to be part of the class that is honoring 100 years of cheerleading at Clinton High.”
The team is recognized at all home games and has been wearing commemorative shirts to honor its 100th year.
But again, like any athletic team, there is a bond with those who have worn the Orange and Black before them.
“It’s been a pleasure to meet so many of the women who have cheered for Clinton in the past,” Co-Captain Sadie Haney said. “It’s been amazing. We have so much in common, but you also see how cheering has changed over the years.”
Haney said one thing she has noticed is cheer teams now do more than root for the home team. They also have competitions against other cheer squads, something that is relatively new to cheering.
Both Rittenberry and Haney said the bets part of celebrating the 100th year is just getting to know cheerleaders from the past, something Haney said she’s already a little familiar with — her sister, Addie, was a senior of the 2021 cheerleading team.
“This year we’ve really gotten a sense of tradition, the Clinton cheerleading tradition, by meeting and getting to know all the people who’ve come before us,” Rittenberry said.
