Brown Middle teachers LuShaun Crayon and Belita Hamilton show off their cheerleading trophy.
Brown Middle School really has something to cheer about after its cheerleading squad came out of virtually nowhere to win Atlanta Public Schools’ annual middle school competition held Saturday at Douglass High School. Not only was this year’s squad of 16 girls filled with inexperienced competitors — only six squad members had previous experience — but the school didn’t even field a squad last year as co-coaches Belita Hamilton and LuShaun Crayon insisted on a more disciplined, focused unit.
Hamilton and Crayon decided the cheerleaders needed added inspiration to dedicate themselves to the team. “We had them wear school football jerseys instead of the traditional cheerleading outfits, and capri-style pants the same length of the football uniform pants, so that they would have their own identity,” explained Hamilton, a seventh-year math teacher who’s in her fourth year coaching the squad. “And when another school’s squad does well at our home games, we praise them. You want the other team to feel welcome.”