Bring it on!
An Oklahoma City cheer team just made history as the first Black team to win the High School National Cheerleaders Association National Championship, KOCO News 5 reports.
Impact Xtreme is an Oklahoma City nonprofit youth cheerleading squad made up of young ladies from all backgrounds, bound by their love for the sport. Coach Naomi Jenkins works with the young ladies, instilling in them the lessons she learned as a former cheerleader. Jenkins credits the sport with helping put her through law school, and she wants to give the same opportunities to other little Black girls.
“I want to give these girls the same opportunity that I had when I grew up cheerleading. It is our way for them to get out and to see other things besides the little radius of the east side of Oklahoma City,” Jenkins said.
The team has worked hard this year, practicing incessantly, and it all paid out. At the High School NCA National Championship, the largest competition held for high school nationals, Impact Xtreme became the first all-Black team to bring home the title.
9-year-old cheerleader Monica Sherrod said the accomplishment is fantastic. “It’s like a big deal to win this year, also because we’re a fully Black team,” Sherrod said.
The team fundraises for everything, including competitions, travel, and uniforms, with their families’ help. That same community comes together alongside Jenkins to make sure the girls are doing what they need to do academically. “They’re going to do well on their state testing and make sure that [they’re ready] if they are applying for different scholarships, getting ready for the PSAT,” Jenkins said.
The historic nature of the win isn’t lost on Coach Jenkins at all, who says the win is an inspiration for her girls and young girls everywhere.
“It means to them that they can do it too, and they can get in my team. They want to succeed and do whatever they want and that they have a chance to be great. You can’t be who you can’t see, so [other girls now] can see it…that means they can do it just as well. We are literally Black girl magic in the making,” said Jenkins.
To donate to Impact Xtreme, click here.
Congratulations, ladies!
Photo Courtesy of Impact Xtreme Cheer/Instagram