Flyer, Averie Grigus ‘27 is successfully lifted in a stunt during practice on Oct. 2 (James/LION).

After making it through tryouts, going to two different summer camps, and practicing three times a week, competitive cheer is back, and eager to make day two of state this year to get a better chance of winning the state championship. Last year they were cut after day one, so making day two this year would be a big deal, base, Sadie Rintz ‘24 said. 

“I think everyone on the team is really dedicated this year, which is hopefully going to make a big difference,” flyer Jillyan Martinez ‘24 said. “In the past, it has been hard for us to have the motivation and the drive to do all of the things we need to do to get better. I think this year we’ve done a lot better of a job [at] being able to put in the extra work to be able to [accomplish] those things.”

Over the summer, the team went to two different summer camps, one of which was an overnight camp done through the National Cheer Association (NCA). The camps worked on a lot of skill-based training. They worked on stunts and tumbling, as well as their halftime routine, which was performed at home football games.

Throughout the school year, all 26 varsity team members practice three times a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, from 3:45 pm-6 pm in the SC fieldhouse, head coach Sharon Lupo said. At practice, one thing the team is trying to improve upon is their tumbling skills. Specifically, they are working on mastering synchronization while tumbling.

“We’re trying to get our scores in tumbling the highest that we can and they’ve come a long way on their tumbling,” Lupo said. “My favorite part is when the kids are working so hard and they hit a new skill and [there is] excitement from the entire team.”

Competitions start in December and go through February. The first competition is on Dec. 3. On competition days, the team gets ready together, Martinez said. Once they arrive, they go through warm-ups, practicing their stunts and tumbling. It can be intimidating walking in because there is music blasting, but overall, the environment is very fun and upbeat. 

“Warm-ups [are] usually pretty stressful because you are pretty much going on within the next ten minutes,” Martinez said. “You get to warm up but we usually don’t do it full out right before we go on because it makes us nervous so we’ll just do a few stunts, and a few tumbling passes and that’s usually our time to just breathe, and prepare.” 

The competition routine has a cheer section and a dance section; consisting of tumbling, stunts, pyramid, dance, and jumps.

“It’s very relieving after you’re done with your routine,” Rintz said. “It always feels good especially if you hit your routine and to be with everyone you were just on the floor with. It’s a really [great] feeling, especially if you know you did well.”