On hand to see LaFayette High School’s Draven Burrage sign on to join the Georgia Northwestern Cheer Cats were Shana Fortenberry and Troy Burrage, LaFayette head cheer coach Nicole Harris, LaFayette’s girls’ athletic director Jeff Suttle and Georgia Northwestern Cheer Cats coach Karen Stoker.
The Georgia Northwestern Cheer Cats continued to fill out their 2017-2018 roster when the recent addition of LaFayette High School graduate Draven Burrage.
She’ll join another Rambler, Dominique Southern, who signed on back in April.
“It’s a special day to be able to sign and be here with everybody,” Burrage said, shortly after signing. “I can’t wait to be a part of Coach (Karen) Stoker’s team. I’ve known her for a long time and she’s really sweet. She’ll keep me on track in school, too, so I’m really excited.”
“Draven has an ever-present smile that is contagious,” Stoker said. “She’s a skilled sideline cheerleader, as well as being a cheerleader with great competitive potential. She has great motions and energy when cheering. Her cheer ability is spot-on and will be an asset during basketball and competition seasons.”
LaFayette High cheer coach Nicole Harris called Burrage “a natural spirit cheerleader at heart.”
“She has great crowd qualities and she shines in front of a crowd,” Harris said. “She just loves to cheer and I love that about here. She’s also a flyer and she will benefit Mrs. Stoker’s well in that area for what she needs on her team.
“I’m very proud of her for taking this next step and not ending her cheerleading career in high school.”
Stoker said she was also impressed with Burrage’s stunting abilities.
"She’s an excellent flyer with good form and technique,” the veteran coach added. “What’s so amazing about her is that she stunted with a group of cheerleaders (at tryouts) that she had never stunted with before and took in all in stride. She executed a full down from extension and with great precision.
“She has a great attitude and a willingness to try anything. She’s fearless. We are so excited to see what this upcoming year holds for her and our Cheer Cats.”
Burrage, a cheerleader since the sixth grade, said she was looking forward to starting the next chapter in her cheer career.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of a new squad, being part of a new environment, making new memories and having a new cheer family,” she explained. “Hopefully, I can bring a lot of laughs. I just hope we’ll have a good team this year.”
Burrage says she wants to study pediatric nursing while in college.