On Jan. 12-14, the varsity cheer team, alongside a select few junior varsity cheerleaders, competed in the cheer UIL competition at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The team finished second place for the 5A D2 division. The team consisted of 40 girls on floor and 10 alternates, as well as their coaches. The competition ranks the cheer teams where they are judged on crowd participation, technique and overall spirit.
“We first participate in preliminaries where we will show off our whole routine,” sophomore Rachel Dobbs said. “Then, if we are in the top 20, we will go onto finals where we compete for the top spots.”
At the competition, the team competed against over 90 other teams come from across the state. They competed in three sections: band chant, cheer and fight song. They performed in front of a panel of judges.
“This competition is important because it allows cheerleaders that are used to cheering on other sports an opportunity to be in the spotlight,” senior captain Brianna Siddall said. “Everyone wants the title of being a winner or getting the opportunity to place in the top three, so everyone works as hard as possible to make the dream become a reality.”
Since the beginning of the school year, choreographers have come in to help create the routine. The cheerleaders have spent countless hours rehearsing. At the beginning of the season, they would practice two times a week, but as the competition got closer, they began to practice every day for longer periods of time after school.
“I had the best time bonding with the girls and having the opportunity to spend so much time with all of them,” Siddall said. “It made our friendships so strong and was overall such a good experience to exceed a goal with a great group of girls around you.”
In previous years, the team has once placed in second and third place. This is cheer coach Sarah Caban’s first year here.
“I am very excited they did very well, they trained so hard and I’m just very proud of them,” Caban said. “I hope I motivate the team by just being present, and giving constructive criticism.”
