Bulldog cheerleaders will be loud and proud in 2008-09

Shellie Campbell knows cheerleading is a huge part of any football game. But the Gulf Coast cheerleader sponsor also realizes why everyone’s there in the first place.

“We’re not there to perform,” said Campbell. “We’re there to lead the fans. You have to always have your team’s back. We don’t want to take away from the game action. When it’s fourth down and one to go, we know it’s time for us to get the crowd going.””

As usual, Campbell’s 17 member squad attended cheerleading camp the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. And as usual, they brought home several awards. The squad won first place in its division for sideline cheering, and second place for overall cheering. The group also brought home the camp’s Spirit Award for the overall strength of the program.

“There were 17-hundred dancers and cheerleaders at this camp,” Campbell added. “We were evaluated each night, and then competed at the end of camp.”

Although the competition is nice, Campbell said the camp wasn’t something you’d see in a scene from the cheerleading movie “Bring It On.”

“It’s kind of like a training camp for cheerleaders,” she said. “Camp is not necessarily about competing…it’s about getting focused on the upcoming season.”

Campbell’s husband, Steve, is head coach of the Bulldog football team. While he instills his enthusiasm and work ethic to his team, his wife does the same thing with her group of young people.

“We’re not just about cheering,” she said. “We also know part of our job is to represent the college on and off the field. We had an overnight before camp, and that really helped us bond. It’s important for our squad to be made up of good athletes, and more importantly, good people.”