Two decades of success; Cheer-Nastics success unparalleled
Arpan Dixit
Herald Staff
sports@harrodsburgherald.com
Allison Begley cheered her whole life up until graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1994. Shortly after, she opened Allison’s Cheer-Nastics, located on Morris Drive in Harrodsburg.
“I had a lot of girls asking me for advice and private instruction. I started giving a few lessons and the numbers kept growing,” she said. “I now teach out of a 3000 square foot facility and we have called it home for a long time now.”
Girls from all over Mercer County and even surrounding counties come in for instruction.
“The neatest part is they come from 14 different schools and various backgrounds. They are great teammates to each other and push each other to succeed,” said Begley.
Begley has been on the biggest stage in cheerleading. She was on the UK cheerleading team and cheered for the Wildcat football and basketball teams during her time there. Prior to that, she cheered at Harrodsburg High School until graduating in 1990, in middle school and during the Little League football seasons.
“It was an amazing experience that I will never forget.”
Begley has been giving instruction in this area for 24 years, and the last 12 years, she has coached the All-Star Cats teams. Those teams have won 95-percent of every competition they have entered, collected 50 Grand Championships, and have won eight National Championships.
“We have an amazing coaching staff and we all work very well together. Our girls are super competitive,” said Begley. “We just have very talented and hard-working kids. We set our standards very high at the beginning of each season and have goals that we want to reach. Last year, we won a bid to compete at The Summit in Disney World.”
All these accomplishments the Cats teams have earned during their decade of dominance doesn’t just come overnight. It comes with a lot of dedication, years of hard work and the strive to become a better cheerleader every practice.
“We practice each team two to three times a week. We are very focused at practice,” she said.
Begley said they do as much as they can to keep the girls’ attention during practice.
“We close our practices to parents so we will have the kids’ 100-percent attention,” she said. “We also have private and group lessons. I use these to build our teams.”
Begley has enjoyed every moment of this journey and she is thankful for getting to coach girls who want to get better everyday.
“It is very rewarding and fun to watch all these kids learn, be competitive and have fun all at the same time. These kids are making memories of a lifetime and I’m so happy to be a part of it,” said Begley.
For more information on Allison’s Cheer-Nastics, contact 734-9011.
Pictured above is Begley’s senior Cheer-Nastics team. Front row L to R: Bennett LeMonds, Kora Horn, Haleigh Ingram, Makayla Releford, Molly Begley, Grace Akers, Jacey Catlett, Caitlin Bigelow, Regan Missbach, Chelby Zammit and Karentin Bottom. Back row L to R: Aynslee Hart, Ashlyn Cheek, Emma Baker, Keaira Denny, Lindsey Harris, Reagan Maddox, Madeleine Simpson, Hailey Grubbs, Ally Davis, Sarah Long, Lexy Adkisson and Ellie Ward. (Photo submitted by Allison Begley)
Pictured above is Begley’s junior Cheer-Nastics team. Front row L to R: Landry Young, Cacee Karsner. Middle row L to R: Gracie Combs, Allie Addison, Lexi Lawson, Alexa Wade, Abigail Short, Harlee Durbin, Bella Cocanougher, Addisen Sheperd, Kallie Lainhart, Paisley King, Addi Funkhouser and Lucy May. Back row L to R: Kenna Cheek, Payton Shewmaker, Desiree Lunsford, Reagan Baker, Mackenzie Kendrick, Kate Hatfield, Emilee Beauman, Harper Thompson, Mia Wade, Aynslee Ellis, Joslynn Brown, Mia Ellis, Charli Grubbs and Kendell Gaddis. (Photo submitted by Allison Begley)
Pictured above is Begley’s youth Cheer-Nastics team. Front row L to R: Ava Borders, Baylee Derringer, Emma Craig, Savannah Casias, Naomi Wheeler, Lynley Thacker, Baliegh Thompson, Aniston Pittman, Jolie Cochran and Dixie Vaught. Middle row L to R: Kendall Maddox, Kayla Wilson, Lycia Smith, Ellie Devine, Olivia Milburn, Lily Bryant, Taylin Rice, Kenzie Carrier, Paisleigh Cummins and Aubrey Peyton. Back row L to R: Kynslee Leffew, Olivia Reynolds, Jamison Tatum, Ava Maxwell, Jordyn Kate Kelly, Journey Humpert, Peyton Hall, Kendyll Smith and Savannah Hall. (Photo submitted by Allison Begley)
Great article. Allison and her staff are wonderful coaches and people. My grandson was on their Senior team a few years ago. He still talks about how much fun it was even with all the hard work.