Senior creates 1st cheer competition
High School cheerleading squads from as far away as Calhoun, Ga., will travel to Greenbrier on Saturday for Columbia County's only cheerleading competition of the season.
Jennifer Randolph has organized a cheerleading competition at Greenbrier High School on Oct. 22 as part of her senior project.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
"As far as I know this is the first one that's ever been in Columbia County," Greenbrier cheerleading coach Kim Pippin said. "The closest one that I know of is Jackson County."
Pippin said most schools in the CSRA don't hold cheerleading competitions because the time, space and logistics are simply too much to handle.
Saturday's competition at Greenbrier would never have been possible if not for one ambitious senior.
Jennifer Randolph, a member of the Greenbrier cheerleading squad, entered her senior year knowing she was required to complete a senior project. After some thought, the idea of a cheerleading competition was born.
"This is the biggest thing I've done in my whole life," Randolph said. "At moments I kind of regretted it because it was so large."
Under the supervision of Pippin and Greenbrier teacher Judy Teasley, Randolph has planned the competition. The senior has hired judges, coordinated concessions and ticket sales and recruited high school squads to compete. She even got the event sanctioned by the Georgia High School Association.
"The fact that Jennifer wanted to do this as her senior project is huge," Pippin said. "What she's done is set it up so the cheerleading booster club will be able to take over in the future."
The Greenbrier competition is a welcome event for cheerleaders, coaches and fans in Columbia County.
"It will be wonderful," Evans cheerleading coach Kelly Garnto said. "We don't have to pay for a bus, and we get to sleep in. We'll get to have some fans there, too."
Normally, local cheerleading squads are forced to travel to Atlanta, Macon or Athens for competitions.
Last weekend, the Greenbrier cheerleaders left at 5 a.m. for a competition in South Cobb.
Randolph said the cheerleaders aren't the only ones excited about the local competition.
"I know a lot of parents are going to come because it is local competition," she said. "It's the first one in the area, and parents don't have to drive far to see their girls perform.
"Students are going to come, too, because they've never been to a cheerleading competition before."
Admission to Saturday's competition is $5. Randolph said she's expecting 500 to 800 fans to attend the event, which will feature routines from junior varsity and varsity squads and jump-off and stunt-off competitions.
The doors will open at 10 a.m., with competition starting at noon.