Cheerleading teams from middle and high schools in the Rocky Mount area will have a rare opportunity to compete on Saturday, February 10, when North Carolina Wesleyan College holds its inaugural Wesleyan Cheerleading Invitational at the College’s Everett Gymnasium and the Taylor Center.

Trophies will be awarded to the Grand Champion, First Runner-up, and Second Runner-up of each division. Divisions include the Junior Division, made up of middle school squads, Advanced Junior Division, made up of Junior Varsity squads, and Senior Division, made up of Varsity squads.

The event is a fundraiser for Wesleyan’s Cheerleaders and is sponsored by the College’s cheerleading squad. The deadline to register for the competition is January 22. The entry charge per athlete is $15, due by January 25.

The public is invited to come out and cheer for the competing teams. The Junior Division begins at 10 a.m. followed by the Advanced Junior at 11 a.m. and the Senior Division at noon. Admission is $5 for age 13 and over; $3 for age 3 – 12, with age 2 and younger admitted free.

The competition is generating excitement among many area cheering squads, because most are not permitted to travel overnight for competition or cheerleading camps, which can be costly. Also there is no local conference cheerleading competition.

Samantha McAuliffe, assistant cheerleading coach at Wesleyan, said, “We wanted to give schools in the area a chance to compete locally against local squads, but at a lower cost that they can afford. This event, along with Wesleyan’s private summer camps, is one way we are trying to help the local cheering squads stay on the cutting edge of the sport of cheerleading.” McAuliffe is a former Wesleyan cheerleader and graduate.

Wesleyan’s head cheerleading coach is Michele Winstead, also a Wesleyan graduate and a former cheerleader at the College. The squad’s stunt and tumbling coach is Antonio Raynor, a former cheerleader and graduate from East Carolina University.

For further information, contact Samantha McAuliffe at 252-985-5140 or smcauliffe@ncwc.edu.