CHEERLEADERS SPEND CHRISTMAS IN HAWAII

Jackson cheerleaders Sara Randol, Joni Boyer, Misty Ream and andrea Mouser take a break during one of several day-long practices in which they took part during their week-long visit to Hawaii.

Four Jackson cheerleaders agree; their Christmas trip to Hawaii was unforgettable.

Andrea Mouser, Joni Boyer, Sara Randol and Misty Ream returned Tuesday from a eight-day stay in Hawaii during which they joined over 750 cheerleaders from throughout the United States in performing at the annual Aloha Bowl.

The four were invited to take part in the trip during a National Cheerleading Association (NCA) camp held last summer on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Each year, the NCA invites its senior members to take part in any of several holiday trips which, in the past, have included the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York or the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. The Aloha Bowl was among the several that were offered this year.

"Even though we missed being at home for Christmas with our families, it was worth it because we'll always remember the trip," said Ream.

The four local cheerleaders were among 250 members of the NCA who joined members of other cheerleading associations from throughout the United States to perform during the halftime show at the annual college football bowl game held Christmas Day.

The cheerleaders funded their trip with their own money and through donations from local groups, businesses and individuals. The four sold raffle tickets, bagged groceries in Jackson grocery stores and did similar work to raise the $8,000 they needed to take part in the trip.

"I think it was more than we expected it to be," Joni Boyer said of her trip to Hawaii. "It was very beautiful there."

The four left Dec. 19 on a 10-hour flight from St. Louis to Honolulu. After crossing four time zones, they arrived in Honolulu in time for an evening orientation session with the other NCA cheerleaders before checking in to the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

In the days to come, the four would practice from eight to 10 hours each day -- four hours or more in the morning with the 250 other NCA cheerleaders and an additional four to five hours with the 750 members of the other cheerleading associations.

Randol admitted that the pace of the practices could be exhausting, particularly the final session, held on Christmas Eve.

"On Christmas Eve, we practiced nine hours straight without a break. "We were all crying and wanted to go home," she laughed. "Then it started raining and we started crying even more."

Despite the pace of the practices all were pleased with the opportunity to meet and work with a diverse group of cheerleaders.

"My favorite part was being able to meet a bunch of people," said Boyer. "You had to get to know everyone and work with them or the whole group would look bad on the field.

The trip wasn't all work for the four.

"They had a lot for us to do," said Mouser. "On Christmas Eve we went to a Polynesian dinner and we also went to another banquet where we got to meet all of the football players for Boston College and Kansas State and that was awesome."

"We took a lot of pictures at the banquet," laughed Boyer, obviously impressed with the football players.

"The banquet was nice," added Mouser, "because all of the cheerleaders had been practicing and we only saw each other when we were sweaty and in ponytails so at the banquet, everyone got dressed up and that was nice."

Other activities included snorkeling and sunbathing on the beach near the Regency Hotel.

To ease the tension caused by being away from home during Christmas, NCA organizers handed out gifts each night to the cheerleaders. The gifts included jackets, T-shirts, warm-up suits and other items useful to a cheerleader.

"After the first couple of nights of gifts, we started to expect it," Mouser chuckled. "We started asking, 'Is Santa Claus coming tonight?'"

In addition, on Christmas Eve, each of the Jackson natives presented the other with a small Christmas gift.

After a full week of work, the assembled cheerleaders finally got their chance to shine during the Aloha Bowl halftime show. In addition, they were able to cheer on the sidelines for more than a quarter.

"We'd cheer for one team and then we'd cheer for the other," Boyer joked.

"I think my favorite part of the trip was being down on the field with a million people watching while you're down there doing what you love to do best," said Mouser.

All of the cheerleaders agreed that even with Hawaii's famed beauty and temperate climate, the most surprising thing about the trip was that not a single squabble arose among the four.

"We figured that if we were stuck together for eight days, that we'd fight but we didn't and I think it was because we knew we needed each other," said Boyer.

Despite the excitement of being able to visit and exotic location and take part in an exciting event, the four say they were ready to come home.

"It was very, very beautiful in Hawaii," said Mouser, "but when I pulled up in my driveway after I got home, I thought, 'This is just as beautiful.'"