MHS sophomore cheerleader Sydney Dodd will be participating in this year’s Citrus Bowl festivities on January 1, 2023.
During cheer camp held at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas, Dodd competed against cheerleaders from four states, performing a cheer, dance, and other skills evaluated by Universal Cheerleaders Association judges, all for the honor of becoming a UCA All-American cheerleader. Because Dodd was named to the All-American squad, she is eligible to cheer with others from all over the country at the Citrus Bowl pre-game show.
“I’m so proud of Sydney,” said cheer sponsor Tonya Bucher. “She made All-American last year as a freshman and again this year, which is a huge accomplishment. Sydney is a sweetheart, and she loves cheer. She is very hardworking and will do anything I ask of her.”
Dodd and her parents, David and Lisa Dodd, will be arriving in Orlando, Florida on December 31 and returning home January 3.
“This is a real honor for me, and I’m looking forward to meeting new people and cheering in the pre-game show,” said Dodd. “But I’m also looking forward to going to Universal Studios for a couple of days while we’re there.”
To help pay for her trip, Dodd set up a booth at the Gainesville Farmers Market and sold Christmas crafts that she made.
In addition to being active in cheerleading since third grade, Dodd is also involved in FCCLA and student council, and is the baseball team’s manager.