At the Cheer America Championship, the varsity cheer team won a division National title, as well as the Grand National title. 

“It went really well,” senior Kimberly Anderson said. “All of our stunts hit; everyone was really energetic. We had JV there as well, so they were cheering up the crowd and it was just a really fun experience.”

The performance was met with much applause and celebration. 

“It was so exciting,” senior Carissa Fernandez said. “We were all really nervous before we went on but seeing all the other teams made us more comfortable, so when we started warming up, we got more excited and we were ready to perform.”

This national competition was the last one of the year.

“It felt great,” cheer captain Lauren Dillard said. “Last year we didn’t get to compete, so we got so excited to compete again. There was a lot of emotion going on but this is what we love to do, so we came together and we did it and we pulled it off.”

For senior Abigaile Denham, this win was unexpected.

“Personally, I think we did a lot better than I thought we would,” Denham said. “The team is really supportive and we all work well together and really try to help each other with all the different parts of the performance and I think that’s what really helped us win.” 

While the satisfaction of winning was rewarding, for many cheerleaders, the real reward is the team bonding. 

“I love the team,” Fernandez said. “The team bonding, working together, is such a big thing for us. Since we throw people in the air, it’s really important to communicate with each other and I think that’s one of the most exciting parts.”

For the cheer team, their consistent effort and hard work throughout the season paid off.

“Our cheer team is amazing,” Dillard said. “I feel like we get recognition but I don’t think people realize how hard we work. It’s not just sideline cheer; we work hard. Most of the girls on the cheer team don’t just cheer; we have a million other things to do but we work really hard to represent our school.”