Go, fight, win! The chant echoed throughout the gymnasium as the cheerleaders rooted their team to victory. While the campus cheerleaders performed at the cheer competition at Magic Mountain on Feb. 22, their current focus is to select new cheerleaders.

The cheer squad is motivated and led by their cheer coaches: Eunie McEntee, Katie Mendenhall, ’93, and Stephanie Pohl, ’00.

The coaching squad continually strived to lead the team to cheer their best and praise the Lord through their actions. They constantly reminded the girls, encouraged them, and taught them to show by example of the Lord’s love.

“This year we have really focused the team on adjusting to the new leadership,” McEntee said. “The theme for this 2003/2004 season was to do everything for Him. This helps us cheer with more purpose and glorify the Lord while we do it.”

After three years of cheerleading and a former captain of the squad, Jenna Burford, ’05, will help coach Mendenhall with the junior varsity cheerleaders next year.

“Our team really pulled together and performed as best we could during the competition at Magic Mountain,” Burford said. “”The competition was the bigest event we preformed at this year and we practiced very hard. But I am now looking forward to assisting and teaching young girls to cheer.””

McEntee and her coaches are currently choosing new students for next year during the annual try-out clinic on March 15-19.

Skill points are based on three categories: overall spirit and entusiasm, performance of cheer chants/stunts and jumps/technique.

“The girls are judged by a panel consisting of cheer experts, former cheerleaders and graduating seniors,” McEntee said. “Plus their skill level and overall presence play a large role in selection but their character is just as important. This is the hardest part of the year for me because I love each girl but I know some will not be selected.”

The girls also receive a prescore based on G.P.A., tardies and absences, attitude and citizenship. This is added to their overall performance score during try-outs.

“”We are selecting parts to a puzzle right now,”” McEntee said, “”and some pieces will not fit in this puzzle but will fit perfectly in another.””

While the team has struggled at times with injuries and absences but McEntee and the squad still expect to compete next year.

“I am excited for cheer next year,” Jessica Hannickel, ’05, said. “I hope we can be just as victorious and have just as much fun as we did this year.”

The girls’ performed with 16 different schools from all over the Valley and came in 7th place at Magic Mountain. This seemed to be remarkable because this was the first time the squad did the entire routine with all members present.

The team captains, Melody McComb, ’04, and Kristen Dunne, ’04, tried their best to help the team to compete both at competition and during sports games. The girls encouraged their squad and built relationships with each other, which has helped past performances.

“My favorite part about cheer is cheering for the close games,” Melissa Bump, ’05, said. “In the really tight games our cheering can make a difference to the audience and help the crowd to encourage team members.”

The 2004-05 cheer squad’s new captains are Bump, Hannickel, Brittnee Masiello, ’06, and Teryn Pruett, ’05.

“”Next year I will be in my eighth year of cheer, and I have loved every minute of it,”” Pruett said. “”I am very excited for next year’s squad; the eighth graders have so much potential. It will be great to see them and the returning girls grow in our cheer skills and learning new routines.””

This week cheer tryouts/clinic will be in the campus gym, on March 15, 16 and 17 from 3-5 P.M.

Students interested in trying-out for junior varsity or varsity cheerleading for the 2004-2005 season or want more information packets about cheerleading should contact McEntee at [email protected] or call the office at 299-1695, ext. 132.