Georgia High School Cheerleading Dynasty Claims 9th State Title in Program History
The Pierce County High School competition cheer squad has won two straight state championships and proven to be one of Georgia’s overall top cheer programs in the past decade, winning a total of six state titles since 2016.
The competition cheer Bears have claimed a total of nine state championships in the history of the program, dating back to its beginning in 1993. They have also advanced to another eight state championships, finishing as the Class 2A runner-up.
Yes, the Pierce County competition cheer squad can proudly proclaim itself a sports dynasty.
Building a Championship Program in Blackshear, Georgia
Pierce County competition cheerleading head coach Mandy Beverly said that even with the longtime success and history of the cheer program dating back to the early 1990s, Pierce County really came into its own a little over a decade ago.
“The success of our cheer program really began in 2012 with the first state championship,” Beverly said. “My sister, Megan, was a senior on the team that year, which makes her being involved as the assistant coach even more special.”
Mandy Beverly attended Pierce County High School and was a member of the competition cheer program in middle school and in high school before graduating in 2009.
She began her coaching career in Brunswick, Georgia, in 2014 before moving back to her hometown in 2016. She began coaching at her alma mater with the spirit cheerleading squad, which are the traditional cheerleaders for football and basketball. Beverly then transitioned to coaching the junior varsity competition cheer squad before moving up to coach the varsity squad under then head coach Amy Nimmer.
Four years ago, Beverly took over the competition cheer program as head coach and has led the Bears to the Class 2A state championship each year, winning it all in 2024 and again in 2025.
2025 State Championship Team Shows Dedication and Resilience
“This year’s team was truly amazing,” Beverly said of the 2025 state championship squad. “They worked countless hours preparing all season for a flawless performance. They spent time after each practice and competition critiquing the routine and themselves in order to make improvements. They are the definition of resilience, perseverance, and dedication. Not only are they a group of talented athletes, but they are also good people. They have to also hold a good academic standing and character. My goal as their head coach is not only to teach them about cheerleading but to also instill lifelong qualities that will allow them to be successful long after they graduate from high school.”
Despite Consecutive Championships, No Days Off
Even with the winning pedigree that Beverly and the Pierce County competition cheer program have displayed for the state to see, she’s making certain that no one’s resting on their laurels.
With tryouts coming up in May, just ahead of the start to the 2026 season, Beverly will make everyone earn a spot on the squad, even those who have been contributors to the past two state championships.
“The new team will depend on skills that are shown during tryouts,” Beverly said. “Nobody that has been on the previous team is guaranteed a spot. I pick the absolute top 16 girls from tryouts with three to four alternatives.”
Even with the open tryouts, the competition cheer Bears will certainly be one of the favorites in Class 2A with everyone returning except for the four seniors who graduate.
Once the tryouts are over and the team is chosen, it’s time to start practicing and competing.
Beverly provided a breakdown of how teams advance through the season, into the playoffs, and ultimately into the state finals.
“Our season starts as soon as school has ended in May,” Beverly said. “We start with choreography camp, and we don’t stop working until the state championships in November.
“We typically compete in five to six regular season competitions, then we have regionals and sectionals. The top 16 teams from the sectionals then advance to the state championship in Macon. A panel of judges watch and score routines at regular season competitions, and we use those score sheets along with the videos of the routine to perfect it for the next performance.
“The goal is to have a near-perfect routine by November for region and state championships.”
The Secret Sauce: Community Support and Youth Development
Like any South Georgia high school athletic program that has a history of success, you can trace it to solid community roots. Pierce County competition cheerleading is no exception.
Much of the success that has led to such a dominant competition cheer program can be credited to the local cheer community in Blackshear, Georgia, where aspiring cheerleaders begin to train and learn their craft at an early age with great teachers, then continue to grow and get better as they rise through the ranks of stellar elementary and middle school programs.
“We have great local cheer facilities with well-established, all-star cheer teams in which most girls have participated in since elementary school,” Beverly said. “We also have a wonderful middle school competition cheer program led by Coach Dde Jordan, who was one of my former coaches.
“Dde spends three years with the girls as middle schoolers before they transition to high school, and she has a very successful record of (middle school) conference championships. Our middle school program is our biggest feeder system, and it’s obviously a big reason for the success we’ve had with the high school competitive cheer squad.”
It sounds like all of the ingredients are in place for another successful campaign in 2026.
