Preparation builds cheer program

The three time state champions having been working harder than ever before in order to bring home their first first place trophy in nationals. Every morning the cheer team gets up early in the morning and comes to practice.

“We have practiced every morning and most day after school,” sophomore Mary Claire Gill said.

Their practices start about 6:45 or 7:00 to about 8:20

“Our coach makes us condition a lot, so that we are in shape to do what we need to,” senior Emily Kemp said.

The girls need to be strong in order to lift their flyers above the heads.

“We go to a bunch of camps,” Kemp said.

At the camps the girls work on stunts and it’s a great time for team building. This was another way the team has prepared for the competition season.

“Not much has changed. This year we had to build a lot of people up, we grow each year,” Kemp said.

Their routine of practicing is simpler to last year’s. They still practiced in the mornings and their workout routines are the same.

“It’s very stressful,” Kemp said. “We all get into a mindset of being focused.”

On the days on competition the girls feel stressed, yet they still find a way to push through.

“We spend the whole day together,” Gill said.

“We sing songs together to loosen our nerves. Then we stretch, go into the warm up room, we don’t look at anyone in the warm up room,” Kemp said. “Then we go out on the floor and do our best.”

On the day of competition the pre-performance routine is the same every time.

“We warm up together and just focus on ourselves so we can do the best we can do as a team,” Gill said.

They aren’t just worried about themselves, they want everyone to perform well. It a team sport.

“At first you’re nervous. Once you’re on the mat you don’t really think about it,” Kemp said.

The routine becomes muscle memory.

“It’s a lot of hard work but it pays off when we win,” Gill said.  

“We won every competition,” Gill said. “Some have been better than others but that makes us push ourselves even harder.”