As the star quarterback threw the winning pass and the basketball team won the big game, campus cheerleaders worked behind the scenes to pump up the crowd. They have tried to find ways to perfect their strategies of spreading school spirit.

“The team really came together over camp,” Denae Cook, ’05, said. “We really began to appreciate each other as people and as team mates.”

Their practices started in the summer of 2001 on Saturday afternoons. They prepared a routine for the FCC cheer camp at Azusa Pacific College and performed it in front of Christian schools from around the state. They received second place in the Small High School Division where they competed against six schools. This guaranteed them a bid to nationals in Orlando, Florida.

“I didn’t expect to do as well as we did,” Rebecca Snow, ?02, said. “With only five returning girls out of a team of 15, it was a shock and an honor to get a bid to nationals.”

The girls decided not to go because of the cost and the time involved, instead they decided instead to focus on both regional competitions and games.

“When the game gets intense and my nerves are going,” Curtis Scott, ’03, said, “it’s a huge encouragement to hear the cheerleaders cheering us on whether we are winning or loosing.”

One of the squads’ goals was to be good witnesses on the sidelines and on the competition floor. They made it a habit to give encouragement gifts to the campus’ varsity teams before every game to wish them luck.

“We want people to look past our short skirts and see what we really stand for,” Lauren Taylor, ’03, said. “We want to demonstrate Gods love to people at our school as well as other schools.

Taylor has been a cheerleader for three years and she has seen the team change in both size and experience. The squad had 15 girls: eight rookies, four were from different schools, and only three of them had cheered in previous years.

“When I was a freshman most of the girls had done cheer before and I was the new girl,” Taylor said. “Now most of the girls are new and I am one of the experienced few.”

The teams’ first regional competition at Great America on Nov. 8 was a disappointment for some of the girls. They did not place or get a bid to another nationals.

“The girls did well and I was very proud of them,” Eunie McEntee said. “However, they had to compete against advanced co-ed squads.”

Their most recent competition was the Clovis Pep Classics at Clovis High. The girls received first place in the Small High School Division. In the crowd were fans of Clovis High, Buchanan, Clovis West and Clovis East.

“We went to the Clovis Pep Classics not to show what we can do, but to show what God can do,” Taylor said. “Our routine was the only one with Christian words in it.”

Cheer tryouts were on March 11-14 from 3-4:30pm and were held in the campus Gym. There are now ten girls on junior varsity and ten on varsity. The new captains are Katie Snow, ’03, Carolyn Simpson, ’03, Lauren Tayler,?03, and Kristin Dunn, ?02.

“I look forward to getting to know the all the new girls,” Snow said. “I can tell that it is going to be a fun group.”

The squad will continue to practice during eighth period every day. The after school practices are on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 4:30 p.m.” “File photo” “While this years’ cheer squad earned the chance to go to nationals, they decided to work on fundamentals and competitions closer to home. Cheer tryouts for the 2002/2003 season were on March 11-14 and cheer practice will continue after school on Tuesday and Thursdays until 4:30 p.m.” “” “” “