Bulldog cheerleaders rally to national championships

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Thirteen-year-old Jackie Drake always wanted to be part of a large family.
Growing up, the Haile Middle School eighth-grader heard countless stories about how cheerleading squads were like a big family. This fall, Drake finally decided to join the East Manatee Bulldogs Junior Midget cheerleading squad and see what it was all about.

And Drake couldn’t have asked for a more perfect season. Drake and her teammates watched as the East Manatee Bulldogs Junior Midget football team advanced to the second round of the playoffs, allowing the girls to grow closer together as the season progressed.

“We’ve all grow really close,” 13-year-old Katie James said.

But the girls’ season didn’t end when the Bulldogs fell in the postseason. Instead, the cheerleading squad began its competition season — and what a season it has become.

The team finished second in its first two competitions and earned a spot in the 2011 Pop Warner Cheer & Dance Championships at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex. The girls competed in the small novice division Dec. 7.

Results from the 2011 Pop Warner Cheer & Dance Championships were unavailable as of press time Tuesday. Be sure to check YourObserver.com to see how the girls fared.

“This team is a true Cinderella story,” coach Jennifer Kirlangitis said. “Many of them have never cheered before. We really started with the basics. I think that’s why they’ve worked so hard is because it’s all new to them, and I think that’s why they’ve done so well.”

The squad comprises 10 girls — the majority of whom had never cheered before this season. The team practiced three days a week during the regular season before adding an additional practice once the competition season began.

“When I signed up, I wasn’t thinking about competition,” Drake said. “I’m on my school’s dance team, and I love that part. So it was just another reason to do it.”

During the season, the girls endured a few setbacks, including losing a girl and having to change their routine. But no matter what happened, the girls always seemed to bounce back.

“A lot has happened, but they always come up shining,” Kirlangitis said. “I’ve been out here coaching for 13 years and they are the sweetest bunch of girls. … Their spirit, heart, dedication, and desire to learn are unbelievable.”

The girls participated in their first competition, the Cheer Jam, Oct. 23. The squad finished second — much to its coach’s delight. After finishing second at the district level, the team earned a spot in the regional championships Nov. 27 in Orlando. Once again, the girls earned a second-place finish.

“It was the greatest feeling in the world,” Drake said. “We were all in shock. It definitely gives you a whole new level of (accomplishment) because we definitely didn’t think we would get this far.”

With their second-place finish, the girls earned an automatic berth in the 2011 Pop Warner Cheer & Dance Championships. And no matter how the girls may have fared in the competition, Kirlangitis couldn’t have been more pleased with the way her squad came together this season.

“From the beginning of the year, my expectation for them was for them to have fun and not to stress,” Kirlangitis said. “This is supposed to be fun, and they should be glad they have the opportunity just to go and experience the excitement of what nationals is all about. If we bring home a trophy, that’s great, but if not, I’ll be just as proud.”

For more information about the East Manatee Bulldogs, visit www.eastmanateebulldogs.com.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].