GREENSBORO, N.C. — At any North Carolina A&T State University football game, fans come to support the players, the band, and of course the Aggie Cheerleaders.
Iycess Hooper is a senior and co-captain of A&T’s cheerleading squad.
“North Carolina A&T cheerleaders, we're versatile,” Hooper said. “That's the word that I can think of. We stunt, we tumble, we do traditional cheer. We stomp and shake. We're all-around great cheerleaders.”
She said fans attending this year's homecoming game are in for a treat.
“Tumbling, stunts, backflips going into the air, people twisting into the air when we're making touchdowns,” Hooper said. “It's a lot that's expected of us and we just want to make sure that we always stay at the caliber (for collegiate cheerleading). That we are prepared and ready to always give a show. We just come in prepared ready to give a show for the fans.”
Anticipation for the team's performance is even higher this year. The group made program history in the Spring when it placed second in the nation at the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) College National Competition in Daytona Beach, Florida.
"That's the first time this university has ever competed there,” Head Coach Daniel Kearns-Pickett said. “It was a big deal. It's making history. I took 20 athletes for the first time to that competition. All got on the stage for the first time ever. The nerves were high, but we all wanted to do it for each other and for the university."
The squad was 0.0925 away from snatching the first-place spot in the competition with an overall score of 97.5857.
“I think for me and for my athletes, we wanted that Cinderella happy ending, but I think it gave us the determination and the hunger this season to make sure that doesn't happen again.
Determination and grit are what the group says being an Aggie cheerleader is all about.
“Coming into practice, being intentional in the things that we're doing, being focused and pushing each other to different levels,” Hooper said. “I take cheer as something that I will use in life when it comes to leadership, working with people, mentoring, motivating. That's my passion.”
The Aggies competed in the Intermediate All Girl Division I against 20 other teams.