Athens cheer standouts Jacey King and Telaya Murrah are the newest members of the UAB Blazers cheer squad, after signing scholarships to the program on Tuesday.

Amongst family, friends, coaches and their fellow teammates, the two signed to join the Blazers and showed their appreciation to those who have helped them get to this point of their lives.

Both athletes gave short speeches after being introduced by Athens athletic director Linda Moore. Their families were also recognized by the audience for their good work raising two young athletes.

“I would like to thank my parents and my family for supporting me through everything,” Murrah said, who is described by Athens High’s head competition cheer coach Nicole Stockman as leading by her actions instead of her words. “I would like to thank my coaches for pushing me to be my best. I would also like to thank my teammates.”

King took time to speak to the audience members as well.

“I would like to thank all the coaches for showing me my true potential,” King said, who has been a team captain, voted on by her teammates, since the 8th grade. “I would also like to thank my new coach (at UAB) for providing me the opportunity to start a new journey. I can’t wait to have another amazing team.”

The signing to UAB by the two athletes for competition cheer provides a diversification of sports that Athens is represented in at the next level.

This is something that pleases Moore, as Athens continues to see athletes move on to the next level at colleges of all sizes and locations.

“I was definitely excited when these two young ladies came to me and said they were signing scholarships for cheer, and to a great program like UAB,” Moore said. “It connects right along with our athletes who are signing with football, baseball and all our sports.”

Moore emphasized that all sports are equally important at AHS, and, therefore, all scholarship signings are worthy of celebration.

“No one sport is above the other. We are all important. So we have to show our athletes that are signing that their sport is just as important as any other one,” Moore said.

For Coach Stockman, the realization of a dream for two of her athletes was an emotional event, and something that does not surprise her with both of the athletes’ leadership skills and hard work.

When talking about Murrah, Stockman said that Murrah chooses to walk the walk with her actions, rather than talk the talk with her words.

“Telaya is very quiet. I always said she puts her talent where words would be. Her tumbling is one of the best on the team and her jumps were the best on the team. Her stunting, let’s put it this way: Her two bases and her top girl went to a clinic at a college and (Murrah) couldn’t go. They had a collegiate backspot, and they couldn’t hit some of the stunts they had been hitting all year (with Murrah).”

When talking about King, Stockman says she is the ultimate leader.

“This team could be doing horrible, she could say a few words, and all of a sudden it’s like a lightbulb goes off and everyone starts performing better. As far as during practice, if I had to step out, I would come back in and she would already have them starting stretching and starting jumping; she essentially just ran the practice.”

Stockman said that there will be girls who will need to step up and fill that leadership role.

More updates will be provided as more athletes from both Athens City Schools and Limestone County Schools continue to sign scholarships to play at the next level.