Howell Cheerleaders Honored For Winning Ways

It may not have been the start of a new tradition at Town Hall, but when the seats at Tuesday's council meeting were filled with cheerleaders from the local AYFC National Championship squad it definitely brought a little extra life to the chamber.

Back in December the squad travelled down to Orlando to compete against the best squads in the country in front of 3,000 rowdy fans. By the time the competition was over the Rebels were bringing home their fourth straight national title. 

Coach Mindy Doyle said that while the three previous titles had come in a different organization, this year's win was special in its own right. "It takes a good coaching staff, it takes dedicated cheerleaders and dedicated parents," she said. 

With the girls ranging in age from 12-to-14-years-old Doyle said the team members have come through the program with new cheerleaders moving up and moving on every year. "When they first start we try to explain it and my best quote to anybody starting a competition team especially when they start little is you can't explain it until you live it." 

In order to get to nationals the squad had to finish in the top three in their regional competition, which was held in Trenton. Once they made it to Florida, Doyle said the team stepped up its game. "The program was just phenomenal," she said of the championship competition. "I think we were able to do more with our skill level."

With the ability to do that, she said they thrived on the mats. "Nationals was probably their number one performance," she said. 

Having proven to be the best in the country once again the coach said the Rebels had no intention of resting on their championship laurels. "We have to raise the bar every competition and every practice," she said.

Over the course of the season the girls have experience bumps and bruises, bloody noses and broken bones. Even with all that the coach said they keep coming back for more. "There's no words to describe it," she said. "It's overwhelming to me. They're incredible and they worked hard for it."

At several points during Tuesday's meeting the squad cheered that they were proud of the people being recognized. When Mayor Robert Walsh presented them with their proclamations for their accomplishments it was clear their town was proud of them.