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Event Welcomes Local Cheerleaders To Hawaii

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By STEVEN HINTON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 17, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The area was well-represented last month when 10 local cheerleaders were selected to attend a cheerleading camp on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

It was the largest contingency from one area at the seventh annual CheerHawaii USA Summer Invitational Camp.

The camp, held June 25 to July 2 on the University of Hawaii's West Oahu campus, focused on four main areas: cheer motion technique, dance, stunts and leadership skills. The sessions were instructed by college coaches from around the nation.

"It's a pretty selective process, because the camp is limited to a little over 100 girls out of the nation," said former Land O' Lakes and Sunlake cheerleading coach Pennye Garcia.

The 10 selected to attend the camp were: Brittni Manautou and Brandi Mire from Zephyrhills; Mariah Goe, Amanda Hernandez, and Sophia Haddad from Sunlake; and Sam Adamo, Kelsey Whitaker, Kayla Hensley, Savanna Campbell and Ashley Johnson from Land O' Lakes.

To be selected for the camp, cheerleaders had to go through a rigorous process. The first step, which began in October, involved coaches from around the nation nominating girls who excelled in cheerleading. Next, a lot of paperwork had to be completed and sent to Hawaii. Finally, the coaches were called to answer additional questions about the cheerleaders.

This is the third year Garcia has nominated girls from her school, and this is the second camp she has attended.

During the camp, participants were judged on basic skills, leadership, desire to learn and improve, excellence in academics and attitude.

"My mom handed me this package that said CheerHawaii on it," said Haddad, who will be a Sunlake senior in the fall. "I think I made it down the stairs in one second."

CheerHawaii USA has been around since 2002 and was created by Alan and LeeAnn Akina. The camp gives cheerleaders a chance to learn from collegiate coaches and is considered one of the best high school cheerleading experiences in the country.

This year's camp also had local ties, with Carol Wood, former head cheer/dance coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Carla Thomas, a team captain for the Bucs cheerleaders when they won Super Bowl XXXVII after the 2002 season.

Of all the lessons Haddad learned in Hawaii, one sticks out.

"There is always an opportunity," she said. "If you try hard and work for it, you can always get what you want. I never thought I could cheer in college until I went to the camp. It opened my eyes. It let me know that if you work for it, you can have it."

Garcia agrees, adding: "It helps with the cheerleaders' future ... it gets them out there."

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