By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Amy Greene, of Cosmic Athletic Center in Olive Hill, said the comeback is greater than the setback. The reason she says this is that her cheerleading program has had some difficulties in the past, but today they are going stronger than ever. Currently she has two teams she trains, The Super Novas and The Little Dippers, and she said she couldn’t be more proud of each and every one of them. But her current success endured setbacks along the way.
“I started the program in 2018,” Greene said.
Unfortunately, she said, during the COVID pandemic one of the people involved with the business embezzled thousands of dollars. Although the individual in question was indicted and ultimately convicted, she said they began a campaign to discredit her and the program.
“This person tried to blame me for it, and it hurt the reputation of the gym. We really struggled to overcome that,” she said. “And we had to start the program all over again.”
Greene said she is truly proud and amazed at the dedication and resiliency of the girls who make up her cheer program.
“During this entire season we have been undefeated,” she said. “And we just wanted to praise them for how well they have done and how hard they have worked.”
The Cosmic Cheerleaders have travelled to compete at various locations, including Louisville, and Lexington, as well as Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Orange Beach, Alabama, and they have won first place at each of those competitions.
“They also received a Spirit Award for Overall, and that was a great accomplishment as well,” Greene said.
Greene said that part of the reason for her teams’ success is they have a great support base from the parents. Combined with that, she said, the coaches work well together which makes for a more cohesive program altogether. That is the reason the program is growing as well, she said. She has about 30 cheerleaders involved in the program this year – a far cry from the six students the program had during its previous difficulties.
She is proud of each and every girl involved in the program, Greene said. But she is grateful to the six students (and their parents) who refused to leave the program during the chaos and helped to regrow the program to what it is today. Cheerleaders from four different surrounding counties – Carter, Elliot, Lewis, and Rowan – make up the current teams, and Greene said she expects to draw more from the surrounding counties in the future.
Tryouts for the teams are in May, Greene said, but the students are off during the month of June. There are camps and tumble clinics throughout the summer, and then serious training begins in July, Greene said. The regular season runs from July until May. Anyone interested in joining or learning more about the program can reach out to Greene at Cosmic Athletic Center through Facebook or by calling at 286-0239.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
