Middle School Sports
Big changes for cheerleading at BCMS.
By Dave Whitaker
Jan 31, 2015, 22:53

Bleckley Middle School head cheerleading coach Becky Smith has already had an impact on the program in her first year at the helm. This past season, BCMS got their first first place finish since 2007. It was part of the best season results wise since 2008.

Now Smith has made another change. Starting with tryouts that will be held March 17-20, fifth graders will be allowed to try out for the first time ever. Something else that will be different are the number of squads.

BCMS will have two. One football/competition, the other basketball. Girls will be able to choose what they want to try for. Smith says those who are trying out for football/competition are strongly encouraged to have a back handspring. She said the reason why tryout were four days rather than five was because of a track meet that Monday and "we want our track girls to be able to participate in that as well."

How did the change happen? Smith says the impetus came during this past competition season. She saw squads with smaller flyers who were able to do more because of their size. With BCMS being made up of seventh and eighth grade girls, their flyers were of similar size, making them more of a challenge to lift.

After talking to other coaches in the region, she found out that Bleckley was the only school that didn't allow sixth graders to try out. She also noticed how other middle school athletic teams such as cross country benefited from having sixth grade participation.

So Smith went to middle school administrators to make her case. She said their concern about wanting to protect the younger sixth graders was understandable. With a promise that older girls would provide good leadership, she was given the go-ahead in a meeting Thursday.

Smith said when she was approached by BCHS head cheer coach Heather Davis about the middle school job, both agreed that having a strong middle school squad is key to having a good high school squad. She called allowing fifth graders to try out "definitely a step in the right direction."

Smith added " I think this will be a great advancement for Bleckley County cheerleading. I am very excited for what the future holds."


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