Mustang Cheer and Pom teams will take their bids to national competitions after school board members recently gave the teens permission to go.
Varsity cheer is expected to compete at the National Cheerleaders Association Championships Jan. 8-Jan. 9 in Dallas, while varsity pom dancers will trek to the National Dance Alliance Championship at Hard Rock Live March 12-March 13 in Orlando, Fla.
In her letter to the school board, Cheer Coach Meg Corn wrote competing nationally benefits her cheerleaders as they work together to prepare.
“The experience of competition at a national level allows the cheerleaders to gain a sense of accomplishent through both individual and team effort,” she wrote. “Mustang has a history and tradition of excellence and has always represented the school well at nationals.”

Out-of-state travel ban
In October, parents raised concerns after changes were made to the district's activity trip policy to limit out-of-state travel. The policy does allow for school board members to take specific instances into account.
When Superintendent Bonnie Lightfoot talked about the change last spring, she told board members a group would have to win a state contest to qualify to compete at a national event.
The difference is cheer and pom groups do not have local competitions that feed into national events.
They both earned their bids to nationals from their participation in summer camps.
Terry Daugherty, president of the Mustang pom booster club, told school board members in October Mustang's pom squad will compete in December at Oklahoma State Dance Team Director's Association championship, but the competition has no bearing on nationals.
Cheer booster club volunteer Dana Jordan later said parents were worried Bronco cheerleaders would be barred from attending nationals after the squad finished in fourth place at the OSSAA state contest in the large school co-educational division.
Daughterty said the parents work hard to support the teams, and the students practice starting before dawn almost daily.
“The girls work tirelessly,” he said.

Concerned about strain on parents
Lightfoot had said she worried out-of-state travel would place extra stress on parents during difficult financial times.
“We don't want kids to have to raise megabucks to go on out-of-state trips,” she said, then.
Both booster clubs raised most of the funds for the trips through fireworks stands proceeds and other events.
In her request, Pom Coach Ashley Stewart listed a cost of $33,293, including airfare, meals, lodging and fees. The cheerleading squad's cost was estimated at $10,130. Both estimates include the cost of substitute teachers to cover the sponsors' classes.
Stewart wrote in her letter the pom parent booster club had already raised more than $30,000 to cover the trip.
“The team looks forward to attending a competition where they can compete against many different schools and to represent Mustang High School,” she wrote.