Thousands of cheerleaders storm the beach
PANAMA CITY BEACH - Standing 6 feet tall and built like a defensive tackle, Will McGinty stood out among a sea of pony-tails and short shorts. He is not your stereotypical cheerleader.
The former football player admits he initially “caught a little bit of grief from some of the guys,” but said he doesn’t think his career choice is a big deal. “It’s not as unacceptable as it used to be,” McGinty said.
McGinty, a South Carolina native and current cheerleading coach at UCLA, is at Edgewater Beach Resort for three weeks working as a staff instructor for the 2008 Panama City Beach Cheer Camp.
The annual event is run by Universal Cheerleading Association, or UCA, a company founded in 1974 and purchased several years ago by Ike and Alisa Duren of Panama City.
As many as 3,000 teenagers are expected to participate in the program, which is divided into eight four-day sessions. Most participants are between 13 and 17 years old.
On Tuesday, an army of teens amassed on the beach behind Edgewater to train on a softer surface. Hundreds screamed, jumped, shaked and baked under the hot sun, as their instructors directed from make-shift platforms.
Martha Cooper, a veteran cheerleading instructor enjoying her eighth year of beach camp, said intervals are provided for beach time and pool parties to prevent over-exertion and leave participants time for fun. Seminars include instruction in dance, spotting and stunts, but the schedule is designed to balance work and play.
“It’s vacation along with camp. What more could you ask for?” Cooper said.
Jenna Tain and Karliee Dillon agreed.
Tain, a third-year camp instructor, is a senior psychology major at the University of Florida. She has been cheerleading since she was a high school freshman and said she is having a blast at beach camp.
“It’s not like any other camp,” Tain said.
Dillon, 15, said she is having a great time in her first year at beach camp. The Milton native said her favorite thing about the camp is its focus on stunts, “lifting people in the air and doing cool tricks.”
With nearly half of the participants at the camp joined by their families, Cooper said, the financial impact on the local economy is significant.
Dan Rowe, executive director of the Tourist Development Council, estimated $20 million to $25 million is spent in the community through sporting events such as the cheer camp.