Pictured (l-r): Kayla Winbigler, Tessa Winbigler, Mikayla Fillyaw
Thomas County Central High School has two cheerleaders participating in a competition to name the best in the state.
Sisters Tessa and Kayla Winbigler, both 17 and seniors, competed in the Georgia Cheerleader of the Year competition this Saturday, Aug. 9, in Columbus. The Winbiglers were named to the competition’s top 40 nomination list earlier this year.
“We are thrilled to have two very deserving girls competing on Saturday,” said Carrie Lasseter, TCCHS cheerleading coach. “At TCCHS, we want our cheerleaders to be ‘the whole package.’ We want girls that are strong athletes, responsible students, and involved citizens. Those are the same qualities that the Georgia Cheerleader of the Year/All-State Team Scholarship seeks to recognize. “
Tessa Winbigler, a cheerleader for three years, said she was inspired to try cheering because of her sister.
“She enjoyed it quite a bit so I decided to give it a try and I ended up loving it,” Tessa said. “I'm inspired by a whole team working together to accomplish goals. It's one thing for an individual to accomplish what they want, but for a squad of girls to have the same goal and work together extremely hard to reach that goal, it's truly inspiring.”
Tessa Wingbigler said being nominated to the top 40 “is a huge honor and I’m so happy to be able to participate in it.” She thanked her coaches (Lasseter and Ashley Lawrence) for pushing her and helping shape her “into the cheerleader I am today,” and her mother, who taught her “to be disciplined,” which has benefited her as a cheerleader.
Kayla Winbigler, whose 18th birthday is the day of the competition, has cheered for five years.
“I wanted to be a cheerleader because I love tumbling, stunting, being part of a team and being part of a family,” she said. “For example, being able to toss a girl up in the air and catch her is just amazing to me. I love representing my school.”
Kayla said the nomination gives her a chance to do something she loves: compete.
“I think it's an honor to be able to compete and do something I love, yet still be able to represent my school,” she said.
Cheerleading coaches (members of both the Georgia Cheerleading Coaches’ Association and the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association) nominate their best rising seniors for the Georgia Cheerleader of the Year/All-State Team Scholarship Competition.
Athletes must have an 85 or higher grade average. They must also submit an application packet that includes GPA, SAT/ACT scores, a written essay, two letters of recommendation, and community, school, and athletic involvement and achievement, according to the competition requirements.
The top 40 from those applications advance to the competition and interview portion, which is Saturday’s competition.
“By participating in the nomination process, cheerleaders learn to complete neat and thorough scholarship applications including personal essays,” Lasseter said. “As top 40 finalists, the cheerleaders gain valuable interview experience. They are also tasked with showcasing their athletic ability by preparing an individual cheerleading routine and then performing it in front of a large audience.”
Each routine must include two of the following elements: jumping, tumbling, and stunting.
The top 16 (All-State Cheerleading Squad) based on combined application, interview, and performance scores will be announced at the conclusion of Saturday’s competition. The Georgia Cheerleader of the Year will be announced from the top 16 in November.
The Georgia Cheerleading Coaches’ Association, according to a press release, annually awards scholarships of over $3,500 to the GCCA All-State Squad.
This year 139 cheerleaders were nominated, and 101 completed the application process. Twenty-six schools from around the state are represented in the Top 40.
TCCHS had one more cheerleader nominated, Mikayla Fillyaw, but she is not competing in the event. TCCHS has had five previous top 40 finalists, and two All-State team members.
Lasseter said, in addition to the experience, finalists have the opportunity to network with the best all-around cheerleaders in our state.”
Tessa Winbigler is honored to be a finalist.
“It makes me feel like all my hard work has really paid off,” she said. “Also, it's a great opportunity for all us who were chosen as finalists to show off the skills we've worked so hard on and win some scholarship money!