UPDATE: Cheer tryouts for the 2010-2011 school year will be held during the week of April 26-30. A clinic will take place for candidates after school on Tuesday and Wednesday, in order to learn the tryout dance. Official tryouts will be held on Friday. Judges will include coaches Robin Whitford and Paula Beery, as well as graduating cheerleaders and others. A photo essay will follow this update with more information.
A sea of satellite-sized bows swarmed the blue mats as captains of every varsity team gathered to hear whether their efforts were enough to qualify their team for a second round of competition. The name “Fresno Christian” reverberated throughout the room as the cheer team learned that they had advanced to the finals.
After enduring numerous complications throughout the season, including hiring two new coaches and holding additional tryouts mid-year, the varsity cheer squad traveled to Anaheim to compete in the United Spirit Association (USA)
High School Spirit Nationals,
March 27-28.
They took third out of 27 schools in the Medium Varsity Show Cheer Intermediate division after placing ninth out of 20 in 2009.
Coach Robin Whitford said the main focus was on hitting a perfect routine, a goal the team aimed for all year.
“Coming into the weekend I had a great confidence in the team,” Whitford said. “We have said all year that, as a team, we want to give our best routine and leave the rest up to the judges. I knew if we hit a perfect routine that we had a good shot at making the finals.”
After the first round, the girls say they felt pleased with their routine, but uncertain as to how they would place.
“I was so nervous after the first performance,” senior co-captain Holly Savage said. “I was really unsure that our team could perform a perfect routine, but after we did, I was just so excited. I thought that would be the story of Nationals: we performed a solid routine but didn’t make it to finals.”
Although the girls say they had hit a perfect routine, worries set in as finalists were announced.
“The team was not so sure they would make it to finals,” Whitford said. “They seemed to struggle with having confidence in themselves. It showed a little bit on the mats, as our “showmanship” scores were lower than we had hoped for.”
Preparations for the final round of competition were a main concern for the coaches.
“Coach Paula [Beery] and I decided not to tell the team what place we were in, in an effort to keep the pressure off,” Whitford said. “The team knew they had a good chance of placing. That night we talked about needing to step it up in our showmanship and having the confidence to go with our ability.
We spent time thanking the Lord for the chance to be a part of the second day and asking for His strength and joy as we performed. The next morning the team came with confidence.”
The opportunity to compete in finals was a victory itself, according to team members.
“We started Sunday [at finals] saying that no matter what happens, there were 20 other teams that didn’t have the chance at Finals,” Sarah Ingersol, ’11, said. “Competing against schools with 1000-4000 students shows that just because we come from a small school doesn’t mean you should count us out.”
The team finally placed third overall in their division, after Brea Olinda and Clovis West, and just before Buchanan.
Despite doubts that arose after former cheer coach Katie Mendenhall’s resignation last April, the cheer program’s ability to remain competitive has been a blessing to those involved, Savage said.
“The greatest accomplishment this year is the fact that we made it to Nationals,” Savage said. “At the beginnning of this year, I doubted that there would even be a team to take to Nationals. God has brought us through so much and I am so grateful for every experience I’ve been blessed with this year.”
Junior Bree Ainley agrees with Savage that the rewards of being a part of the squad transcend first place trophies.
“We have been so blessed this year,” Ainley said. “Through receiving first places, reaching out to others, putting out a good name for Fresno Christian and now this third place we’ve been able to look past just winning. Like I said before, just because we come from a small school doesn’t mean we can’t run with the big dogs.”
Looking back on the year, Whitford appreciated the achievements of the team throughout the season.
“This year has held both great success and trial,” Whitford said. “The change of leadership came with it’s fair share of challenges, but I know that the Lord has guided us through each step of the journey. I am very proud of growth and accomplishments of the team!”
Tryouts for next year’s team will be held soon on dates to be announced. For more information, e-mail Whitford.
For more information, read the March 28 article, Varsity cheer sets sights on Nationals.
