The Cardinal
cheerleaders are
struggling to
deal with the
loss of a
teammate.
Jimmy Arness
Roberson Jr., of
Virginia Beach,
VA, was killed
Monday night in
a single car
accident in his
hometown.
Roberson, who
went by “Jay,”
was a freshman
at Trinity
Valley Community
College. He
joined the
Cardinal
cheerleaders in
August.
The 20-year-old
and a passenger
– 18-year-old
Breanne Candera
Mahon – were
killed along
Interstate 64
when the car
Roberson was
driving hit a
guardrail on the
left side of the
road before
going off the
right side of
the pavement,
according to
investigators.
According to an
article in the
Richmond
Times-Dispatch,
investigators
have said they
do not yet know
why the vehicle
went off the
road. Alcohol
was not a factor
and the pair
were both
wearing
seatbelts.
Cardinal
Cheerleading
Coach Lucy Strom
said her team is
just trying to
“deal with the
shock” of losing
Robertson.
“Jay was the
kind of student
you wanted to
have,” said
Strom. “There
was a lot he
added to the
team. It’s been
a shock for all
of us.”
When Roberson
first arrived at
TVCC, Strom said
it took awhile
for the
naturally shy
cheerleader to
warm up. But
once he did he
quickly became a
central part of
the team.
“He came in as a
very quiet, shy
kid. He didn’t
like the fact
that we wanted
to get to know
him,” said
Strom. But she
knew that had
changed halfway
through last
semester, when
during a team
bonding exercise
she asked the
freshmen what
they had learned
about themselves
since coming to
TVCC.
“He spoke up and
everyone was in
tears. He said
he resented that
everyone wanted
to get to know
his business at
first, but that
he had learned
to respect and
appreciate that
and learned that
we really care,”
said Strom.
“Once he opened
up there was no
stopping him.”
Roberson
befriended not
only many of his
teammates, said
Strom, but many
of the
basketball
players as well.
Many Cardinals
and Lady
Cardinals have
come by Strom’s
office in the
past two days to
express their
sorrow.
Roberson’s
friends in
Athens are not
the only ones in
mourning this
week. According
to the
Virginian-Pilot
in Norfolk, VA,
a candlelight
service was held
Tuesday night at
Fame All Stars
gym in Virginia
Beach, where
Roberson had
worked on his
cheerleading
skills.
"They both
always had a
smile on their
face," said
Dywon Fisher,
who coached both
Roberson and
Mahon at Fame
All Stars gym in
Virginia Beach.
"Jay was always
full of energy.
I always put him
at the center of
my dances
because I could
count on him to
pull it
through."
Strom and nine
members of the
cheerleading
team are
traveling to
Virginia this
week to attend
services for
Roberson, which
are scheduled
for 3
p.m. Saturday at
Metropolitan
Funeral Service
in Norfolk, VA.
Classes are
still out for
the Christmas
break and so
those
cheerleaders are
traveling in
from various
places back to
TVCC early in
order to make
the trip.
“It’s going to
be a tough few
weeks for all of
us,” said Strom.
“It is going to
be hard when
(all the
cheerleaders)
get back to try
to move on.”
This is the
first time Strom
– who has been
involved with
the Cardinal
cheerleading
program for more
than a decade –
said she
remembers the
team losing an
active member.
“For
some of the
(current
cheerleaders)
this is their
first time
dealing with
something like
this. They
consider him
family. We are
family,” said
Strom.
Spring semester
classes begin
next week, and
for the Cardinal
cheerleaders the
toughest time of
the year will
begin.
The team will
begin
preparations for
its nationals
competition this
month, said
Strom. Only 20
Cardinals will
be allowed to
compete in April
when the team
makes a bid for
a tenth national
title. Strom
said Roberson
was going to be
one of the
competitors.
“One of the team
members
designated as
alternates will
compete in his
place. That is
the best thing
for the team,
and that is what
Jay would have
wanted,” said
Strom.
To leave
condolences,
please log onto
www.lstrom@tvcc.edu.