As the cheerleaders gathered on the dark baseball field, motions were drilled and formations sharpened. With only one practice left before the championships, they needed to be flawless.

The next morning, the girls’ hard work paid off: they received first place in recognition for their hard work at the Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders (FCC) cheer camp, July 8-11.

Robin Whitford, the first-year varsity coach and FC alumna, said she knew the extra practice was necessary.

“On Friday night, the program had ended and coach Paula [Beery] and I knew we were not ready for camp championships the next day,” Whitford said. “It was hard to switch gears and head downstairs to practice, but the team kept great attitudes and gave us their best effort. That practice really made a big difference in our readiness for the next day.”

Varsity captain Holly Savage, ’10, said she agreed with the coaches’ decision to hold the late-night practice.

“I thought the practice was necessary in order to perform a flawless routine on Saturday,” said Savage. “I was relieved when coach Robin announced that we were going to practice. It improved our routine a lot because we went from just knowing the routine to having it memorized and ready to perform.”

The practice allowed the team extra time to hone their choreography.

“I was really excited that we got first place,” Savage said. “It gave me hope that just because our team is different doesn’t mean we lost our talent.”

After the resignation of coach Katie Mendenhall in the spring, Savage said she felt that much of the responsibility fell to the seniors to lead the team.

“All the pressure was on the seniors and captains to lead by example and make sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to do,” Savage said. “It was definitely scarier knowing that so much depended on us.”

As one of only two freshmen on the team, Rachel Quiring, ’13, said she also had reservations about the prospect of camp.

“You hear a lot about it being one of the best and worst weeks of your life,” Quiring said. “I expected it to be a lot of work. It was a lot of going nonstop.”

However, Quiring said she found benefits from the time spent at camp.

“I did have more fun than I thought I would,” Quiring said. “Camp made me feel a lot closer to the other girls. Since I’m the youngest one, it started a lot of camaraderie. I know I won’t be nervous going into high school now because I have friends I know will help me.”

Whitford, a first-year coach, said she was pleased with the girls’ performance at camp.

“I am so proud to coach such an incredible team; they are the real deal,” Whitford said. “On and off the field they show great character.”

“I knew they were capable of great achievement, as the trophy case from years past demonstrates. They continued to pursue excellence and deserve the first place recognition they received.”

The team not only received first place, but several individuals were recognized as well. Five girls — seniors Alyssa Powell, Alyssa Boss and Tylar Pattie, and juniors Kory Thompson and Sarah Ingersol were recognized as all-stars for their sharpness, leadership and skill level.

In addition, the team won spirit sticks throughout the week as a reward for their consistent team spirit and received superior ratings on all routines.

The team’s first competition will be at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Nov. 8. They will compete in five other competitions including USA Nationals in March if they qualify.