PEA RIDGE — “It’s been a dream since I was a kid,” Joey Beauchamp grins, eyes sparkling, as he contemplates being a Razorback cheerleader.
Senior Blackhawk cheerleader Beauchamp cheered as a Razorback this past weekend at the Red & White Razorfest game. A cheerleader since the eighth grade, Beauchamp plans to study kinesiology. He received a scholarship from the Arkansas Cheer Coaches Association.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to finally fulfill my dreams. For three years now I’ve thrived off Dalton being there,” Beauchamp said, referring to fellow Blackhawk Dalton Fralin who is on the cheer squad at the University.
“I am very proud of Joey and his accomplishments.
He set goals early on andworked all year to reach those goals. In the last two years I have seen Joey grow not only as a cheerleader, but as a person. It has been an honor to coach him and I look forward to seeing him cheer on the Hogs and further his education at the U of A,” Blackhawk cheer coach Jamie Bunting said.
“He’s a good leader. He really wanted to be successful his senior year and win the state championships,” Bunting said. The Blackhawks won the state championship in December.
And Beauchamp’s role as a “base” and “backstop” were essential to the squad’s success.
“Stunting is Joey’s strength,” Bunting said.
“He’s an all around package - stunting and gymnastics, jumps, dance, smiles, yells.
Technique is the key.”
Beauchamp says he’s learned from his failures and he’s been quick to watchothers and learn from them.
“This is a great accomplishment for him, andwe are super proud,” Kim Beauchamp, Joey’s mother, said. “It’s been a dream ofhis for many years now, and he’s doing everything in his power to make sure that hisdreams are accomplished.”
Beauchamp is the son of Chris and Kim Beauchamp.
Sports, Pages 13 on 04/25/2012