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Knights’ Katie Leiker earns cheer spot with CMU

Cheerleading

Katie Leiker of Norway, left, and Emily Johnson of Houghton Lake will be members of Central Michigan University’s cheer team in 2019-2020.

NORWAY — Katie Leiker of Norway has earned a berth on Central Michigan University’s cheer team.

The Knights senior, daughter of Jackie and Ben Leiker, participated in a six-hour tryout session last month at the NCAA Division 1 school in Mount Pleasant.

She will be busy with the team, cheering for many football, men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling events. They also compete in Florida for college cheer nationals.

The cheer team also travels to football bowl games — CMU went to Boise, Idaho, last season — along with conference and NCAA basketball tournaments.

“The tryout was very physically challenging and included many tumbling requirements as well as a certain timed mile run,” said “super proud mom” Jackie Leiker, a longtime area competitive cheer coach at Norway and Kingsford. “The team requires a minimum of a standing combined back handspring back tuck as well as numerous tumbling passes in order to make the team. She is very excited for what her future holds cheering at CMU.”

Katie Leiker received the Carrie DeRidder Spirit Award at Norway’s recent athletic honors program. She was also named the sideline MVP and shared the competitive award with Cassidy Menard.

Jackie Leiker has coached one other NCAA cheerleader — Kingsford grad and Randville resident Jackie Paupore.

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