Like a lot of athletes, members of the Albert Lea High School cheer team are actively involved in summer camps.

But they don’t simply show up. And they don’t come home empty-handed.

Thirty-one of the 50-member squad attended a recent camp at Blue Earth, where the team and several individuals earned awards. Several area towns competed, with about 200 individual participants, and the team received instruction in the areas of dance, sideline cheer, time out cheer, stunts, team building and school traditions.

“The team had a very successful two days,” said Donna Marty, who along with Ann Glazier coaches the girls.

The Tiger cheer team received trophies in both the varsity and junior varsity Extreme Routine Division, varsity and junior varsity home pom routine, and a superior squad trophy.

For the second year in a row, the Albert Lea squad received the UCA Leadership plaque, voted on by other cheerleaders at the camp for the team they most want to be with and which displayed excellent cheer and leadership skills throughout the camp.

The Albert Lea girls made it three years in a row as the recipient of the most sought after camp honor, the Top Banana Award. It’s given by the UCA staff to the most spirited and enthusiastic team at camp.

Individually, Sasha Flores won the camp jump championship, with Jodi Moen placing second.

Named UCA All-Stars – an honor earned by only the top 7 percent of camp participants – were Flores, Moen, Kaylee Hable, Caitlin Marty and Katie Sorenson. It’s determined by a tryout that includes jumps, cheers and dance.

Moen, a senior, earned the opportunity to apply and try out for the 2004 UCA summer camp staff. Only 1 to 2 percent of all people seen nationwide at UCA summer camps are offered the opportunity. She will begin the tryout process this winter.

Coaches Glazier and Marty, who attended the two-day camp with the team, would like to recognize Angie Hoium, Steph Sternberg, Ashley Judd and Flores for exhibiting unselfish leadership qualities and setting an example as a great team member during the camp.

The camp was far from the only activity this summer for the cheer team, with several members of the camp set to attend another NCA camp in July. Also, the 11 captains and coaches will attend a leadership conference Aug. 3-4 in St. Cloud, and five of the captains will attend a leadership seminar Aug. 6 in Blaine.

Also planned is a golf outing by the Albert Lea Cheer Team Boosters on Aug. 16. Contact Judy or Rick Mummert for more information.

The sideline cheerleaders and the competition team meet weekly for practice. Fourteen girls attend gymnastics classes in Waseca while four have gymnastics classes in Austin.