There are plenty of reasons to watch the Mississippi CollegeChoctaws play football, but for people from the Brookhaven andWesson area, there are four new reasons, and they’re right there onthe sidelines.

This year’s Choctaw cheer squad has four local girls on theteam, all of whom say they’re excited to be on the squad with somefamiliar faces.

Allison Aker, a freshman, Abby Fisher, a sophomore, and hersister Kayla, a senior, all cheered at Brookhaven High School,while Rebecca Barker, a freshman, cheered at Wesson High School.The girls are all in their first year as MC cheerleaders.

“It’s fun because my sister and I have cheered together, andI’ve cheered with Allison, and now we have all these other fungirls to cheer with too,” said Abby Fisher.

Kayla Fisher said she had somewhat given up cheering after highschool, but helping Abby prepare for tryouts was what made herbreak her pom-poms back out.

“I didn’t do it for the past three years, until now,” she said.”My sister was going to try out, and I watching her and critiquingher, and I realized how much I missed it, so I decided to try outtoo.”

And there is a little bit of school pride amongst the girls fromBrookhaven, Aker said.

“We’re all pretty good, and we’re all really nice to each otheron our squad,” she said. “But we do brag about being the Brookhavengirls.”

Barker said even though she’s from Wesson, there’s still a bondthere for her too, since the two schools and communities are soclose together. She said the girls all knew of each other, and nowthey’re on the same squad.

“I just think it’s great, because now we’re cheering together,”she said. “I love it just that we can talk to each other if we misshome. And Abby and I are stunt partners, so it works out reallygood.”

Tryouts were nerve-wracking for some of the girls, though Akersaid she was lucky when it came to that. She was unable to be therethe day of tryouts, and had a little different tryout than theother girls.

“I had to send in a video,” she said. “I wasn’t really thatnervous because I didn’t have to actually go and be with everyoneelse and do the competition, so it wasn’t that nerve-wracking.”

Barker said it was the support she got from the other MCcheerleaders that got her through tryout time.

“It’s always nerve-wracking to try out,” she said. “I was justimpressed by how sweet the girls from MC were.”

All the girls agreed that the long hours of practice pay offwhen game time comes around.

“I love cheering in front of the crowd,” said Kayla Fisher.”Especially when the team is winning. I love being a part of that,and to see my fellow school members in the stands.”

Abby agreed with her sister.

“I guess the games are my favorite because it’s so much biggerthan high school, and such a different experience,” she said. “Andit’s always really exciting when you can see everyone in thecrowd.”

Barker said more than just the thrill of game time, the feelingof belonging is a plus to being on the cheer squad.

“It’s nice to have a group that you already belong to,” shesaid. “There are already people to eat lunch with and do thingswith, and you’re not really on your own.”