While most Minnesotans were spending the first day of 2011 shoveling and shivering a group of Farmington High School students was literally spreading good cheer at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
The game itself wasn't much of a contest with Alabama blowing away Michigan State 49-7 but the 13 Tiger cheerleaders who were part of the festivities are still talking about it.
The Farmington group earned the trip to Orlando with a standout performance at a Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) summer camp where they competed against teams from around the region.
After some creative fundraising efforts including selling gift cards and mugs and bagging groceries at Cub Foods, the girls packed their bags and headed to the home of Disneyworld on Wednesday, December 29, to prepare for the big game.
"It was wonderful experience for the girls," coach Nancy Stein said. "For a few of them it was the first time they had been on a plane, been away from their home without family and, of course, been to Florida or Disneyworld."
After a free day on Wednesday the girls reported for work early Thursday to start a long two-day prep that included a daily five-hour practice session at a Capital One practice field where 500 cheerleaders ran through their formations and performance routines for the big game.
With nearly 65,000 fans in attendance on game day, the throng of cheerleaders followed pre-game entertainment by the Million Dollar Marching Band of Alabama and the Michigan State Marching Band with their performance to the popular Monday Night Football theme "Are you ready for some football?"
"Going from cheering at a high school football game to a college stadium was an amazing feeling," Stein said. "The energy, noise and excitement took everything to a whole new level."
"The trip was once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'm sure no one will forget," team captain Meaghan Peterson said. "I took away from it the experience of performing in front of a crowd and being comfortable doing it, something that definitely comes in handy."
Stein said the trip also showed the girls that even though cheerleading isn't officially recognized as a competitive sport by the Minnesota State High School League the activity provides opportunities for achievement and recognition.
"The experience taught the girls that teamwork is number one," Stein said. "It taught them to be comfortable performing in front of a large crowd and how to work together to accomplish a goal."
The Farmington contingent included seniors Ashlie Tisland and Erin Suppes; juniors Emily Olsson, Julie Tang, Kelsey King, Meaghan Peterson and Nora Lenz and sophomores Aleah Williamson, Alauar Fried, Ashley Ellefson, Ashley Fogarty, Alyssa Nelson and Hather Torkelson.
