Recent AHS grads make college cheer teams

Published 12:09 am Saturday, May 27, 2017

Fresh out of graduation from Andalusia High School, two AHS cheerleaders have made the cheer teams at Troy and Huntingdon.

Meg Turner made the cheer team at Huntingdon, and Georgia Dean made the team at Troy.

“I was really upset when high school football season ended, but now I get to cheer four more years in college. So, it’s really exciting,” Turner said of making the team at Huntingdon. “The butterflies on Friday nights can’t ever be replaced but this is something different, and I’m looking forward to something new.”

Dean said that when she found out that she made the team at Troy, she felt a sense of relief more than anything else.

“It was very, very relieving because for about a month before tryouts I’ve been going back and forth from Dothan and Troy practicing,” Dean said. “So, when I made the team it was just relieving that all of that paid off.”

Both Andalusia natives pointed to graduation as being a primary goal for their college careers, but Turner is also looking forward to taking part in something she’s never done before.

“All four of my years in high school, even in middle school too, I’ve been a base on the team. Which means I hold up the flyers in routines,” Turner said. “In college, I’m going to be one of the smaller cheerleaders on the team. So, I’m going to be a flyer now. Just getting myself ready for that and being able to try something new is a big goal for me.”

Dean has set her sights on making the Trojans’ travel squad.

“My first goal is to make the travel team, which is a smaller group that is picked to make all of the away games,” Dean said. “I would also love to go to national cheer competitions, even if it’s just as an alternate, and compete there.”

Dean also expressed her excitement to be a representative of Troy University.

“I’m so excited that I get to represent the school at all of the school functions and that’s really a big deal for me,” Dean said. “I’m just excited that I get to represent Troy.”

Turner also expressed her excitement to get her college career under way.

“I’m really excited to get started,” Turner said. “Cheerleading has had a huge impact on my life. All of my sisters and my mom cheered. Really, our whole family has always loved it.”