“When magic hits the floor, it’s Fresno Christian High!” The campus varsity competition cheer squad will compete at USA Regionals, Nov. 8. They will contest to earn their bid to nationals, which are scheduled to take place in Anaheim, March 27-29.

The girls will be up against Clovis West and Clovis East Central, national champs in 2007-08, Buchanan High, Clovis High and Monte Vista Christian.

This year the team will be competing as a “super squad,” combining previous junior varsity and varsity cheerleaders. They will perform in the Super Varsity Intermediate show cheer. This is the first time in campus history that a squad has performed Super Varsity.

Cheer coach Katie Mendenhall feels the girls are ready and will perform to their best, due to the increased expectations.

“I am totally excited,” Mendenhall said. “The harder the competition is, the more it pushes them.”

Mendenall says that the consistency in the girls’ stunts and creativity of the routine is what puts them ahead in the competition.

“The level of difficulty in their stunts, tumbling and showmanship brings the girls up to a more advanced level,” Mendenhall said.

The girls were taught their routine by The Stingray All Stars. Mendenhall flew two of their staff members out to choreograph the routine.

Mendenhall’s expectations for the team is to earn top three if not first and hit a clean routine.

“I am looking forward to the high level of competition,” Mendenhall said, “and being a light for our school and Jesus at a secular school.”

As many people say practice makes perfect, the girls practice from one to two hours every day.

Sophomore cheer captain Mary Reynolds looks forward to the feeling she gets in her stomach right before she performs.

“I am really excited to go against all the teams,” Reynolds said. “There’s not only one team I am wanting to compete against; I just want to prove to the huge high schools that we have something to offer in the cheer category.”

For new team member Sara Visciglio, ’11, coming from Bullard cheer to FC cheer is different to her because of the more organized squad.

“I have probably competed against all of the schools we are going up against,” Visciglio said. “Cheer is different here because it is very organized. One thing that sets us apart from the other teams is that we have a hard fast routine.”

They are set to perform at about 2 p.m. at Clovis North Educational Center.

For more information, read Clinic instructs future cheer squads or Rookie cheerleader ends fear.