Standout Highland Park cheerleading team needs help to get to nationals

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Highland Park cheerleading team is ready to head to Florida to compete for a championship - but they need some help to get there.

FOX 2 met up with the Highland Park Jets cheerleaders at Church’s Chicken on Woodward Wednesday night - proving they can cheer anywhere.

The fast-food restaurant gave the team a check for $1,000 to help them get to nationals.

"It’s just nothing but cheer and it’s like 250 teams all from the same age group, so the same little divisions they are in here," said Coach Shyrhon Wagoner. "It’s going to be fun."

But it’s also going to be expensive. Altogether, 54 girls on the team will be traveling to Florida to compete. the highland park jets trying to raise $10,000 to help pay for the trip.

"I came from this organization, I coached in the organization, my children played in the organization - so it is about the community taking care of itself," said Carlton Clyburn, president of the Highland Park City Council.

The girls love to cheer: "It’s that I get to work on my gymnastics," said one girl.

"And stunts," added another.

Determined to go to nationals they have big plans for when they get there.

"We’re going to beat the other teams," she said.

"All of us, we cooperate with each other, if one of us doesn't know the stunt, we all come around and help them," said another cheerleader.

Their coach couldn’t be any more proud.

"I love them," Wagoner said. "I’m so excited for them. To just to think about them leaving the state to go compete like they did here, on a bigger level, I am so excited for them because I know they can do it."

The cheerleaders are leaving for nationals in two weeks and every dollar they raise will help. The team has a GoFundMe set up, to contribute, CLICK HERE to donate.