Twin brothers Carter and Harrison Pennington graduated high school together and will now go to college together. Both have committed to Three Rivers College where they will compete on the cheer squad together and both enter the nursing program.“I always wanted to do nursing and the cheer coach hit me up and my wrestling coach up. And they asked me if I wanted to cheer, so I went to the tryouts,” said Carter Pennington.
“I wasn't sure if I would like it at first, but I started to like it once I went to more open gyms. I got accepted to the nursing program as well.”The nursing program at Three Rivers College is a two-year RN program.“We (Dexter) have a lot of pep clubs for usually football and basketball and the cheerleaders set the mood and tone for the pep club,” said Carter. “They get the crowds and fans hyped up. I think that being a boy instead of all just girls we can get the boy part of it too and the crowd more hyped.”
Carter's brother Harrison also spoke about his choice of Three Rivers College.
“Three Rivers is a close college, close to home where I can pursue the degree that I want to pursue my future in,” said Harrison. “I plan on going to nursing school and doing my LPN/RN bridge.”
Harrison said although he did not cheer in high school he had always been the exciting person to get out and show a lot of energy. He said cheering also enabled him to obtain a scholarship and live in the dorms on the Three Rivers campus where he will room with his brother.
Three Rivers cheer coach Kayla Sparkman spoke about steering the Pennington brothers toward cheer.
“Earlier this semester I reached out to (Dexter wrestling coach Cody) Boyer to see if he had any athletes that were wrestlers or football players that were going to Three Rivers and wanted to continue their athletic career outside of their current sport,” said Sparkman.
Sparkman said she had reached out to coaches in the past with the same request and had received help, so she reached out to Boyer, who steered her toward the Penningtons. Sparkman said the brothers participated in open gyms. She said they were very coachable and willing to try anything. Sparkman said the current cheer team at Three Rivers has 18 members. Including the Pennington brothers, there are three male and 15 female members.
The brothers will cheer and compete with the cheer team at Three Rivers basketball games as well as other events, including several local parades and the Sikeston Rodeo. The parades include the Stoddard County Fair Parade and the Dunklin County fair parade.
Josh Ayers - Dexter Statesman