July 20, 2008

(WVLT) -- If you think the UT campus settles down during the summertime, you obviously haven't tried to drive on Andy Holt Avenue at 5pm.

If you had, the eternal line of cheerleaders and dance members bouncing across the crosswalk would have convinced you that while UT's demographics change during the dog days, the energy level remains as high as ever.

More than 3,000 middle and high school spirit squad members will visit UT this summer for the school's cheer and dance camps. That's something spirit squad coach Joy Postell relishes.

"It's just an inspiration to be a role model," Postell said. "to have my UT cheerleaders give them encouragement to take back to being better cheerleaders during the season."

Of course, UT's cheerleaders aren't the only ones who benefit from the camp. Scores of squads leave campus much more unified than when they arrived.

"We're having so much fun," said Blakely Bays, a sophomore cheerleader at Bristol's Tennessee High School. "We have learned so much. Before we came we had teammate problems, but the UCA staff has really helped us out and we've learned a lot of stuff."

The camps run for approximately three weeks out of every summer month. Cheerleaders and dance team members with ages ranging from elementary school through college have camps designed for their age demographics.