PHOTOS by CRYSTL’S PHOTOGRAPHY
by ALLISON ELDREDGE
Mannford Competitive Cheer (MCC) is on a roll, jumping over goals and competitors at an unseen level for a team that has only been together for three seasons. In the summer of 2018, Coach Kim and Coach Shea saw a need for something more for cheerleaders and future cheerleaders in the Mannford area. Many families couldn’t afford the cost and time required to travel to Tulsa to find programs for their cheerleaders to learn new skills and compete at higher state and national levels. MCC (a non-profit) was the answer. There is a monthly fee for the tumbling classes. Any profits are used to pay the First Baptist Church for use of the facility (even though the church has donated the use of the space) and for hoodies or supplies. The coaches are all volunteers. They only had hopes of helping build strong, able cheerleaders for the local school system, but it turned into a bit more.
22 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE /APRIL 2021
The first season (2018-2019) they competed at a Junior Level 2 Performance Recreational team with girls as young as 3rd graders. The second season (2019-2020) they competed at the same level and division. They started winning 1st place, High Point Grand Champion, and specialty awards such as Best Choreography. They even qualified for the Opens Championship (comparative to Nationals) but could not afford to attend. This third season (2020-2021) the girls returned, built on skills from the previous seasons, showed so much growing talent that previously had been untapped, and competed at Senior Level 3 in the All Star Performance Recreation Division. In true 2020 fashion, COVID and injuries made the season opener look grim; however, these athletes pushed through all difficulties and shone bright! MCC has won 1st place and High Point Grand Championship
