On Tuesday, the Niceville Girls Cheer Team received a signature sendoff from the Niceville Fire Department as the girls went south to Orlando to compete at UCA Cheer Nationals.
Engines from the Niceville Station and Valparaiso station shot about 500 gallons of water above the team’s maroon tour bus as they started their 400-mile journey to Orlando.
This trip is Head Cheer Coach Tonya Herndon’s second to central Florida in a week. They were named state champions at the FHSAA tournament on February 3.
Lt. Mike James with the Niceville Fire Department said the community spirit matters to him, the fire department, and the rest of the town. “Being a local fire department, the Niceville Fire Department, we’re based on the community,” James said. He added that the city administration’s green lights show support like the water cannon arch because of the community’s strong ties.
Sophomore Cheerleader Casey Constant’s mom, Debbie, appreciates the support from everyone in the community for her daughter’s team. “We’re extremely blessed to be a part of this community and be a part of the team at Niceville High School,” Constant said, “I can’t say enough good things.”
The Eagles Varsity cheer team is not the only Niceville team that will compete at UCA nationals this year. The Eagles JV team and the Ruckel Rams squad will also make the trip down for the tournament as well.
The UCA Nationals cheerleading tournament at Disney’s Wide World of Sports starts on February 9 and goes until the 12th.
The competition started more than 40 years ago and bills itself as “the culmination of the season for cheerleaders across the nation. It is the country’s most prestigious high school national championship and the perfect opportunity for cheerleading teams to get together and celebrate each other.”
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