- Video shows the Elkhorn South Unified Cheer Team having their final practice before game day at Memorial Stadium
- The four unified athletes worked on cheers with their unified partners and coach
- There was lots of excitement towards getting the opportunity to cheer at state football on Tuesday night
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Jill Lamkins, here at Elkhorn South with the Unified Varsity Cheer Team and these guys are getting ready to cheer at the High School State Football Championship in Memorial Stadium. This will be the first time in the program’s history. I'd say that calls for a cheer, can you help me out guys? "Let’s go storm.”
While there are other unified activities at Elkhorn South, the cheer team was formed around three years ago to give the unified athletes a chance to show their school spirit.
"I like doing cheer because it's fun and also I just like it because my friends are in cheer so it makes me happy to do it with them."
That's Wendy Constantino, one member of the team. There's also Logan Hussey…
"I like cheer because I like football."
Ellie McWilliams and Addi Adams…
"She brings joy and entertainment everywhere we go and that's what I say when we walk in the room, 'your entertainment has arrived."
The four athletes work with unified partners like Cambell Keber and Emily Czak, who help lead practices, teach cheers and keep focus.
"They learn really fast and they're really good at it but sometimes it does take them a couple tries to figure it out."
"They don't judge you based on who you are, what you look like, what you wear, they're just welcoming."
The team has been practicing once a week for the past six weeks and when they got the news — they were approved to cheer at state — their coach Emily Flynn said the feeling was surreal.
"I keep calling it a chance of a lifetime."
Now months of preparation are about to pay off.
How do you think Elkhorn South is going to do? Are you excited to watch the football team? "Oh yeah. We're going to win."
It'll be a moment these athletes will never forget.
"They're going to be bundled up. It's going to be a little chilly, but we have our cheers picked out thanks to the coaches and yeah, our plans are all set, we're ready to cheer on the storm."
You can catch these cheerleaders cheering on their team during the 2nd quarter of the Class A State Championship. At Elkhorn South, I'm Jill Lamkins for 3 News Now.
