Erwin High School Warriors ’ Cheerleading : For the Win
All photos courtesy of “ Lockwood Media ”
The Erwin High School Warriors have long been recognized for their excellence in cheerleading .
In the past 13 years of competing for the state title , the team has won 11 championships and two “ runner-up ” designations – a staggering accomplishment and a source of great pride for the school community .
For 10 of those 13 years , the team was led by Coach Kim Ponder , who rejoined Erwin for the 2015 season after a short time away . With 22 young athletes eager to bring home another state title , the team dedicated themselves to the task at hand . Not only did they win the state title in their division ( Large Varsity NT D1 ), they placed third out of 145 teams overall , missing first overall by only 3 points .
“ You have to out-work every other team there ,” Ponder said about competition . “ The physical will usually come if the mental attitude is strong . Weight training , mental toughness , attention to detail , and a champion attitude are key focuses of a great team .”
Success in cheerleading takes a special kind of studentathlete . They train and compete fiercely , all the while balancing academics and their regular cheering schedules for football and basketball seasons , pep rallies , homecoming , spirit week , and half-time routines . On top of all of this , the girls give back to the community through regular volunteering .
This season , the team and coaching staff are grateful for the ongoing support of the community , parents , booster club , and the many individuals who have helped them succeed , including Lauren Boggs , Mike Sexton and Dr . Brown , Erwin High ’ s Principal .
Looking forward , the talented team has much to be excited about .
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“ The future looks very bright . I ’ m excited to watch young eager girls develop into mature equipped young ladies ready to take on the world ,” adds Ponder . “ That ’ s why I do it ”.