SPANISH FORT, Ala. — The Spanish Fort High School varsity cheerleaders had spirit to spare while competing with 19 other teams on Oct. 6 and, after putting their own special spin on cheering, won the competition.

The SFHS squad won the Spectronics/Cheer 21 Cheerleading Competition at the Mobile Convention Center on Oct. 6, Coach Samantha Leffard said.

The team was also invited to cheer for the entire second quarter at the GMAC Bowl in Mobile which will be televised live nationally in January.

The team will also perform at the Southeast Coors Classic Basketball Tournament in December.

The team won megaphones after competing against squads from Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.

“It’s a big deal,” Leffard said of the competition win for the 14 member team comprised of juniors and seniors. “It’s a big chance to represent our local schools over in Mobile at Ladd Stadium.”

Leffard, who was a collegiate cheerleader for four years, said she became a cheer leading coach because she loves the sport and she thinks it helps inspire the fans.

“I think it is getting a lot more respect than it ever has with all of the competitions going on,” she said.

She also believes that now people are trying to take it to a higher level of athletics.

“It’s pretty much a year round sport,” she said.

To get ready for the competition the cheer leading squad had extra cheer leading practices until the late hours of the night, Leffard said.

“The team has wonderful girls and I couldn’t ask to be around a better group of girls,” she said.

Parental support is 100 percent, Leffard said.

“We couldn’t ask for better parents or better girls,” she said.

Leffard said cheer leading practice will begin on May 1 and they will compete during the summer.

She said the squad is also willing to do community service to help area agencies.

The 9th annual GMAC Bowl will kickoff at 7 p.m. (CST) Jan. 6, 2008 at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile. ESPN will nationally broadcast the match which features Bowling Green vs. Tulsa.

For more information on the GMAC Bowl call 251-635-0011 or visit gmacbowl.com.

The Coors Classic basketball tournament will be held on Dec. 15 at the USA Mitchell Center, also in Mobile.

The double-header consists of the University of South Alabama vs. Mississippi State University and Auburn University vs. Southern University.

For tickets call 251-460-6047.