By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
They’ll soon be calling Georgetown, Kentucky “Titletown” – sorry, Detroit.
That’s because the Scott County cheerleaders are headed to Orlando, Florida next month to compete in the Nationals.
“It’s the first-time in six years we’re going to the Nationals,” Tracy Hudson, who serves as co-coach with Diane Fields, told the Northern Kentucky Tribune.
Hudson says the coaches were grooming this group for two years.
“We knew we had something special,” she said.
So special, in fact that the Lady Cardinals breezed through the local competition to earn their bid to the ESPN Complex in Orlando, February 9-12.
“We won our way to Florida,” Hudson said, “Now we’ll compete in the pre-lims and hopefully advance to the final round.”
Cheerleading, she says is hard-work, and a year-round commitment.
“We have just about three-weeks off the entire year,” Hudson said. “The girls cheer at football and boys’ and girls’ basketball games and then we have our competition.”
The down-time, she notes, is in the spring and summer.
The 23-member squad consists of girls in the eighth through their senior year at Scott County.
And as for practice, well, it’s at least three-to-four nights a-week, according to Hudson. “And if we’re not practicing, we’re cheering basketball games – boys and girls.”
Practice time is two-to-three-and-half hours on the mat, according to Hudson.
Maybe that’s why these girls are so good.
But Coach Hudson has another reason.
“We commit to hit – the mat,” she said. “Our commitment is 110 percent, until we’re entirely off the mat. It’s all about dedication and hard work.”
Tracy Hudson knows all about that.
In her third year as co-coach, she comes with plenty of experience.
“I have a cheering background,” she says. “I coached at the Middle School, and when I came to Scott County, we pledged to bring back cheering the way it used to be.
“I have the passion and I think it’s rubbed off on the girls.”
Apparently, it’s also rubbed off on some of the members of the football team.
“Some members of the team have stopped by to watch practice,” Hudson said, “And they admit, these girls are truly athletes.”
Maybe that’s why Scott County High School is known for, guess what – their cheer.
Donations to help the Scott County cheerleaders on their trip to Florida can be made through Venmo or check., Venmo @Scottcounty-cheer. The Venmo account features a black background with a red SC and a cardinal emblem. E-Mail: diane.fields@scott.kyschools.us or Tracy.Hudson@scott.kyschools.us.