Middle schoolers join high school cheerleading squad

When high school cheerleading tryouts began in the fall semester, only three students initially signed up. Wanting to build interest in the sport, new head coach Tyla Nelson pushed school administrators to allow middle schoolers onto the squad.

“We approach this season as a building year,” she said. “We have a great looking team.”New assistant coach Haley Reeves said there are advantages to having more kids on the floor. “You’re just able to do more stunts when you have more people,” she said. “You can do more formations. It just adds a different element when you have more people.”

Taking in m...