August 27 , 2007

State Cheerleading Brings Event to Diddle

Bowling Green, Ky. - The Kentucky Association of Pep Organization Sponsors, the state’s leading high school cheerleading group, selected the city of Bowling Green and WKU to host the KAPOS 2008 State-At-Large Cheerleading Competition February 16.

Close to 2,500 participants and coaches are expected for the event at WKU’s E.A. Diddle Arena as well as approximately 4,000 spectators. “This is huge for the hotels in February, typically a slow month for visitors,” said Amy Cardwell, Sports Sales Director for the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We really wanted to attract this new event because of the great exposure it brings to local businesses, facilities and WKU.”

The competition was in Lexington before moving to Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond several years ago to be in conjunction with the Boys’ Sweet Sixteen Tournament. Cheerleading must also follow Title IX, so the KAPOS committee decided to consider alternate locations across the state, according to Tara Griffith, a KAPOS board member. The committee also looked at venues in Louisville, but Bowling Green’s host of the Houchens/ KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen Tournament was a factor.

KAPOS is divided into sixteen regions by KHSAA basketball designations, and each area will host a Regional Competition in January before sending winners to the State. Overall winners from seven categories get a chance to compete for the state title in small, medium, large, or super varsity (females only); small or large coed; and traditional competition.

KAPOS formed in 1954 to promote and improve cheerleading in Kentucky. The organization awards $5,000 in scholarships annually to seniors competing at the state level plus several other regional awards. For more information about the organization, visit www.kapos.org.

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