[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6831-6832]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO KENTUCKY CHEERLEADING SQUADS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
accomplishments of the North Laurel Middle and High School cheerleading 
squads from the city of London in my home State of Kentucky. Recently, 
both teams won national championships in the Universal Cheerleaders 
Association, at competitions held in Orlando, FL.
  Both teams overcame setbacks and injuries but still triumphed. 
Through hard work and dedication, they were able to clinch the national 
titles for Kentucky. Recently, the Sentinel-Echo newspaper in London, 
KY, published an article detailing the victories of both teams.
  Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
cheerleaders and coaches from North Laurel Middle and High Schools for 
their performances in the national competition. I further ask unanimous 
consent that the full article be printed in the Record, as well as the 
names of the participants and coaches.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Sentinel-Echo, Feb. 13, 2009]

                        Laurels for North Laurel

                           (By Tara Kaprowy)

       With full police and fire truck escort, marching band 
     fanfare and thousands of students waiting to greet them, 
     North Laurel middle and high school cheerleaders came home 
     wreathed in victory Tuesday. The teams both clinched first 
     place last weekend at the Universal Cheerleaders Association 
     National High School Cheerleading Championship, the be-all 
     end-all of cheerleading competitions.
       North Laurel Middle School coach Christy Jones was 
     thrilled.
       ``It's all the buzz down here,'' she said of the North 
     Laurel wins. ``They loved the girls, they loved the 
     routine.''
       North Laurel High School coach Kim Wood was likewise 
     pleased.
       ``We're celebrating like we've never celebrated before,'' 
     she said.
       Wood's team has had a heart-stopping couple of days. The 
     team arrived in Orlando, Fla., a few days before the weekend 
     competition to have time to practice their highly technical 
     routine.
       But on the first day, tragedy struck.
       ``We had one of our strongest bases get injured,'' Wood 
     said. ``She blew her knee out.''
       With Lindsey Lewis now forced to the sidelines, it was up 
     to Laura Robinson--who had never even competed before--to 
     step in.
       ``She was so nervous,'' Wood said.
       To incorporate Robinson into the performance, the girls had 
     to adjust their formations and rework the routine, practicing 
     six hours a day to get things right.
       ``Each girl had to work even harder,'' Wood said.
       By the end of the second round of competition, the girls 
     were in seventh place; one of the girls had fallen, which 
     cost the team points. Nevertheless, they advanced to finals. 
     This time, their 2\1/2\-minute routine was flawless.
       ``It was perfect,'' Wood said. ``They were awesome.''
       When the winners were being announced, the judges asked the 
     girls to maintain their composure out of respect for the 
     other teams. But Wood said when the runner-up

[[Page 6832]]

     was named--and it wasn't North Laurel--her girls were 
     ecstatic.
       ``They were bawling and crying and jumping for joy,'' Wood 
     said.
       Over in the middle-school competition, the girls were up 
     against the fearsome Mount Pisgah and Houston girls, 
     cheerleaders from two middle schools who finish first and 
     second year after year.
       This year, Jones said she was ready for the Tennessee 
     teams, with North Laurel's choreographer crafting a routine 
     that was at the highest level of difficulty. The performance 
     incorporates 13 full-ups, a move in which the girls complete 
     a 360-degree turn before they hit the top of their stunt.
       ``We do them to one leg, which is even more difficult,'' 
     Jones said.
       The girls pulled off the stunts, even though they were also 
     plagued by injuries.
       Dani Flannery, who tore the ligaments in her ankle last 
     year, reinjured her leg while in Florida.
       She chose to compete anyway.
       ``She battled back,'' Jones said. ``And she did it with a 
     smile on her face.'
       In the end, the NLMS girls pulled off their routine and, by 
     12 points, were named the champions.
       Jones said the win was sweet.
       ``It's been very difficult to gain respect,'' she said. 
     ``It's kind of the (Tennessee team) club, but we broke into 
     it this year. And they didn't like it.''
       Jones said she and her girls are thankful for the support 
     they received throughout the year.
       ``We are just so appreciative of our principal (David 
     Hensley),'' she said. ``He is so supportive of our program. 
     And our parents, listen, our parents raised the money so 
     every child could come to Florida for free. And the 
     community. Every time they buy a T-shirt or a box of donuts, 
     it lets these girls achieve their dream. I'm so thankful.''


                North Laurel Middle School Cheerleaders

       Katie Mays, Caitlyn Adams, Sammantha Tolliver, Maddie Wood, 
     Hannah Robinson, Ashley McCowan, Whitney McCowan, Ryvers 
     Loomis, Meagan Stewart, Hannah McWhorter, McKayla Vaughn, 
     Taylor Hubbard, Dani Flannery, Kristen King, Whitney Reams, 
     Miranda Browning, Savannah Goozeman, Sydney Herrell, Farris 
     Strong, Sherri Gray, Lane Mitchell, Breanna Binder, Morgan 
     Bill, Sammantha Nalley, Kelsey Guidi, Amy Corum, Gabrielle 
     Skript, Addison Woods, Taylor Eversole, Hayley Whitman, Tara 
     McClure, Taylor Hamilton. Coaches: Jamie Winkfein, Sidney 
     Hubbard, Christy Jones.


                 North Laurel High School Cheerleaders

       Alex Blair, Bailie Camp, Taylor Forbes, Brittney Hodges, 
     Ashley Hollin, Destiny Inman, Ally James, Kayla Johnson, 
     Mercedes Lester, Whitney Lawson, Lindsey Lewis, Kelsey 
     Maggard, Mackenzie Martin, Brittany Moore, Ashley Partin, 
     Sarah Pennington, Laura Robinson, Jenny Tillery, Gabrielle 
     Woods. Coaches: Kim Wood, Toni Blake Greer.

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