By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
A Blacksburg cheerleading squad is heading to Disney World next week for a national competition. Jessica Gillispie is the coach of a group of young cheerleaders ages seven to 12.
The squad placed first at the Champion Cheer Classic in Winston-Salem, N.C., last month and was invited to compete at the Quest event in Florida.
“I think it is amazing that we got our bid for several reasons,” Gillespie said. “One is that this is our first competition with this team, and like many companies and squads we don’t hold tryouts, so basically whoever wants to participate can.”
The team has had several fundraisers to generate money for the trip but is still short with only a week to go.
“We have several fundraisers online like go fund me and a Facebook fundraiser. You can find both of these links on our public Facebook page, Blacksburg Bruins Youth Cheerleading,” the coach said.
The group is also planning a bake sale outside Moe’s in Blacksburg Saturday, March 7.
“I hope we place at Disney, but either way I am very proud of these girls and what they have already accomplished. I told them even if we don’t, we still made it to Disney,” Gillispie said.
