Every year, MEAC hosts a competitive cheerleading competition for schools within the MEAC division that allows cheerleading teams to showcase their talents and compete for bragging rights.
Under the direction of coach Brandi Tatum and Felicia Barnes, FAMU Cheer spends tireless hours preparing for the biggest competition they participate in year after year.
Junior health leisure and exercise science student from Ft. Myers, Florida,Courtni Smith is also a member of FAMU’s Competitive Cheerleading Team. Smith began her cheerleading career as a member of the Ft. Myers Jr. Firecats, a pop warner organization, where she progressed and was groomed to perfection in hopes of joining FAMU Cheer once accepted into the university.
As a three year veteran, Smith is no stranger to the process as she describes their journey to MEAC. “The preparation for the competition was very stressful mainly because we didn't get choreography until January and the MEAC competition was the first week in March. The pressure was real, especially on our elite stunts and pyramid,” Smith says.
Not only do participants in the MEAC competition battle for first place all around, they also have an all-star division. Coaches are asked to select one person from their team who they believe is a true “All-star” based off of their skills and how they perform during practice. For judging purposes, the all-star selected is given a white band to wear on their forearm to distinguish them from the rest of the team. As all of the teams take the mat for a chance to win, the judges are also selecting the next all-star.
After two minutes and thirty seconds of high energy dances, crowd engaging chants and elite stunts, FAMU Cheer took home first place overall for the 2016 MEAC Cheerleading Competition. Senior public relations student and FAMU cheer member Nyeja Warner along with others had great things to say about their victory. “It was such an accomplishment to finally win the MEAC cheer championship especially ending Morgan State’s five-year repeat. We all worked so hard to achieve this goal,” says Warner.
Kierra Calhoun, junior political science student and FAMU cheer member also recalls the announcement of their win at MEAC. “When our name was called for first place, it showed how hard we worked. Even though things fell, our spirits never did”.
Not only did they win over all, Miss Courtni Smith also took home first place in the all-star division for FAMU. “To be honest, I wasn't expecting to win,” Smith says about her all-star win. “I was shocked but overall I was excited for the win.”
Smith also expresses how excited she is for this years team and the expectation they have for competition this year. “I feel like the talent that has came in, I think these girls have a lot to live up to. We have to prepare ourselves for the pressure that is on us now because we have won.”
FAMU cheer has high hopes to continue their victory status as they move on to bigger competitive cheerleading competitions this school year.
