MORRIS TAKES FLIGHT AT TECH

By Shea Haile

Courier Sports

CARTHAGE — The Smith County High cheerleading program has continued to ascend and has produced a future Tennessee Tech cheerleader in SCHS grad JoElla Morris who will continue to cheer competitively for the Golden Eagles.

“I have been cheering since I was very little — in the pee wee cheer and I have always wanted to cheer in college,” said Morris who spent four years as a member of the SCHS cheer program and was selected as a cheer captain this school year. “But I also wanted to stay close to home which is where Tech came in.”

“Cheering at Smith County has meant a lot to me and the girls have become like my family. I am excited and I cannot wait to cheer in college. I am hoping to make new friends.”

Morris was part of the first group to reach the semifinals at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) Nationals in school history in 2022 and helped  the squad capture the school’s first UCA Regional Division Championship title. 

“My first three years of high school — I had a different cheer coach every year — so it was about adapting and figuring things out,” said Morris.

Morris continued, “But I had a lot of great girls to be able to learn from and my cheer coach these last two years — has helped me grow a lot in competition and  as a person.”

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