Cheerleaders’ Preparation For Daytona
by Cheval John
While many students were out on spring break, the SHSU All-Girl/Co-ed Cheerleaders, along with the Orange Pride Dance Team were here at SHSU all week practicing for the NCA/NDA National Competition that will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida from April 11-15.
The NCA/NDA competition is based on many factors that includes technique, stability of stunts/strength, flow of routine, degree of difficulty, perfection of routine and overall impression.
For the first time this year, both squads will be competing together as the All-Girl Squad moved up to Division I in the NCA in competion.
Prior to that, the All-Girl Squad competed at the intermediate level in the NCA and have come a long way since then.
Though it will be new for them, they believe that competing with the co-ed squad is bringing them together as a family.
“With co-ed going with us, it’s a whole another team to support us and another team for us to support,” All-Girl co-captain Andrea Dearing said. “A big part of nationals is having a crowd cheering you on and with the co-ed being there, it’s going to bring ten times more energy.”
Though the co-ed team receives scholarships, the all-girl team doesn’t receive any sholarships, but they raise the money through sponsorships and each member on the team has to have a minimum of $250 in order to remain on the squad.
The stereotypical view of cheerleaders is that they are at sporting events to bring extra school spirit ot the the crowds who are attending the games and to cheer the team to victory.
What they don’t see is the dedication and the hard work that goes into being a cheerleader.
“We cheer during the football season, volleyball season and the basketball season and on top of that, we have nationals,” Dearing said. “We put a lot of hard work and a lot of effort into this.”
With school about to be back in session next week, they believe that it is all worth it in the end because of the preparation that they put into perfecting their routine.
“This is where we want to be,” Dearing said. “While there in school, we are going to be in Daytona competing and hopefully getting a ring and that is more than any spring break trip is worth.”
