Special Release – Early High School senior Mary “Libby” Elisabeth Underwood signed a letter of intent with Oklahoma Baptist University on Wednesday, February 15th, making her the first female athlete to sign a National Letter of Intent for Competitive Cheer in the greater Brownwood area.
Though competitive cheer is not considered a new sport, universities are starting to acknowledge cheer by adding it to their varsity sports which allowing for athletic scholarships and the other benefits afforded an athlete such as trainers and training rooms. Last year the State of Texas had its first UIL State Spirit Championship for high schools, at which the Early High School cheer team placed 3rd.
“We have many talented girls at EHS and on my All Star Cheer Team at SEAL,” said Underwood. “I hope this will motivate and encourage them to continue to pursue cheer as they look to their future.”
Underwood began participating in competitive cheer at age seven with SEAL CheerZone and she will have completed 11 years in the program this spring. She started side-line cheering for the Texas Youth Football League (TYFL) in 6th grade, then cheered for two years for Early Middle School and went on to cheer for four years at Early High School as a varsity cheerleader. She has also lettered in track and softball.
Underwood says cheering has given her confidence and courage, as well as building physical strength, especially during a difficult battle with scoliosis that required spinal surgery during her seventh grade year. The extensive surgery left Underwood with 10 fused vertebrae. Her parents believed keeping her core muscles strong was the best way to keep her healthy, and made her participation in gymnastics and the competitive cheer a priority.
The core strength training paid off, and Underwood qualified for the Junior Olympic Tumbling and Trampoline Nationals just 7 months after surgery and 3 months later won a silver medal in tumbling. Underwood says she lives by her favorite motto, “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”
She now looks forward to taking that strength with her to Oklahoma Baptist University.
“I have been to the University of Alabama, University of Mississippi, Tarleton State University, Gannon University, and a recruitment clinic at the University of Kentucky, where I met and stunted with 25 all-girl cheer teams. Oklahoma Baptist University was not really on my radar until my brother looked at the school for baseball,” said Underwood.
She was invited by Head Cheer Coach Jessica Stiles at OkBU to attend a cheer clinic, after which Coach Stiles told the admissions director, “not only does she have great skill she also has a great personality!”
Underwood was then invited to an Elite Recruitment Clinic at OkBU for an official tryout in October. Four months later, she signed her official letter of intent.
“After visiting other schools, I loved the small family atmosphere at OkBU and the icing on the cake for me was a fabulous cheer coach and teammates that have the same goals and already feel like family,” said Underwood.
Libby Underwood and Head Cheer Coach Jessica Stiles
