The UTM cheerleaders ranked 10th in the nation at the UCA College Cheerleading competition held January 14-16 at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

As the UTM cheerleaders walked onto the floor at the competition, the school’s fight song was being played. “Hearing our school song really pumped us up,” said Katie Lyn Beasley, a freshman cheerleader and health and human performance major from Lawrenceburg, Tenn.

This was the first time that UTM has competed in the UCA competition. Last year the team completed in the NCA national competition.

The squad was judged on cheering, tumbling and stunts.

Practice leading up to the competition was long and grueling.

“Each cheerleader practiced 16-20 hours a week and at the football and basketball games,” said Fran Spears, head coach of the UTM cheerleading squad and head coach of the three-time national champion Martin Middle School cheer squad.

“We practiced really hard, giving up our Christmas break with practices twice a day, but it was well worth it,” said Beasley. UTM competed in the Division I cheerleading competition with 15 other top squads.

“Being surrounded by the best college cheerleading teams in the nation was a really good experience, though we were nervous, it made us work even harder,” said Beasley.

Pictures of the Skyhawk cheerleading squad in action can be seen on the Varsity.com website.

The Universal Cheerleading Association is one of the largest cheerleading camp and competition companies in the world. They support over 200,000 coaches and participants in the United States alone.

UCA holds camps in all 50 states as well as several countries around the world. They are now associated with Varsity, who creates all the cheerleading and dance costumes. UCA holds college, high school and middle school cheerleading and dance camps all year long.