Pitt State cheerleading squad looks forward to national competition; contest to be on ESPN

Months of cheering, tumbling and training will come to a head this weekend for a handful of spirited Pittsburg State University students.

Although they're normally seen on the sidelines at Pittsburg State athletic events, the PSU Spirit Squad will take center stage Jan. 15 at the 2011 Universal Cheerleaders Association College Cheerleading National Championship in Orlando, Fla.

The team is one of 12 NCAA Division II squads to be selected for this year's competition.

"We are excited to be able to showcase our talent, school and community to a wide audience," team sponsor Linda Graham said in a news release. "This marks our 16th year at this competition, and the squad has worked very hard and will be competing with a routine with the highest level of difficulty I have every taken to a competition."

The PSU Spirit Squad captured the 2001 NCAA Division II National Championship and placed fourth in 2006.

Since early November, the 14-member group has been preparing for the national competition by practicing three hours a day, five days a week. This year for the first time, the squad has held auditions for team members who want to compete at nationals.

"We are only allowed to compete with nine men and seven women. This year's decision was extremely hard," Graham said in the release. "Any one of our athletes could have competed and excelled at this level."

This level of competition is something the squad enjoys, Graham added.

"It is usually an eye opener for our guys to see so many men involved in cheerleading. Being on the same floor as some nationally recognized Division I squads is a great motivator," she said.

The competition will be taped and aired on an ESPN station at a later date. For more information, contact Graham at (620) 235-4646.