Building gives wrestlers, cheerleaders practice site

A small crowd gathered Wednesday at Greenbrier in front of the tall metal structure that has popped up in recent months.

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The 24-foot high facility is a one-room building and nothing flashy, but it's a perfect space for the school's wrestling and cheerleading programs.

The Wolfpack's senior wrestlers and cheerleaders cut a red ribbon to officially declare the building ready for use.

The opening came as a relief to those who will use it.

"We had nowhere to practice," senior cheerleader Megan Jackson said. "We had been moved everywhere."

The $43,000 cost of the project was raised through the Greenbrier Athletic Foundation, headed by Billy Jackson. Some of the materials were donated.

The building gives the cheerleading and wrestling programs their own place. During the fall, the Wolfpack's gym is occupied by the varsity and junior varsity volleyball teams.

The cheerleading squad has used the mall halls, the cafeteria, Greenbrier Middle and Patriots Park in the past. The wrestling team, which uses large mats, had fewer options.

Greenbrier lacks a commons area that other county schools use for cheerleading and wrestling.

"We started off and we were practicing in the cafeteria, and then we went out to the baseball room, and then back to the cafeteria, then to the hallway, and then we went into an old weight room, and then back out to the baseball facility," Greenbrier wrestling coach Brett Cooper said. "In the course of the past three years, we've practiced in about six different locations. It's nice to finally have our own place."

The new structure was built as an addition to the batting facility, with a metal wall dividing the two spaces.

The high ceilings will give the cheerleaders plenty of room to practice safely, and there is ample room for the wrestling mats.

"We had to build it high enough that they wouldn't hit their heads," Jackson said. "I think we accomplished that."

The two programs won't have much overlap. The cheerleaders season is wrapping up and wrestling kicks off this week and runs through February.