Artikeln om cheerleadingtävlingen

Written by Johan Hammerby

Staff writer

After a weekend stuffed with extensive practice, tough falls, long waits and brutal competition the Santa Barbara City College cheerleading team was awarded the 2^nd-place trophy in their first National competition in Anaheim.

Over the Valentines weekend, representatives from high schools, colleges and all-star teams from all across the United States gathered in the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA for the USA (United Spirit Association) cheer and dance competitions.

The SBCC cheerleading squad is comprised of a group of hand-picked girls with varying and impressive experience, skills and abilities. They are the high school Varsity captains, the well-traveled competitors and the decade-long gymnasts all come together to form a squad that SBCC can be proud of. Many girls on the team have been gymnasts for as long as 16 years and some have been involved in competitive cheerleading for at least 10. Experience ranges from previous National competitions in Anaheim, CA, Orlando, FL and Austin, TX to name a few, and the SBCC cheer squad is well-known for trouncing 4-year cheerleading teams in previous competitions. This year, the squad has upped the ante with as much as 8 hours of practice a week. One reason for the frequent practice is the pressure to keep up the winning title they achieved last year.

Last season Santa Barbara City College was awarded 1^st-place at Nationals. This weekend was the first of many competitions of the season for SBCC, who currently have almost an entirely 1^st-year team. For some people it was the first competition they’d ever attended. Nervousness was a common theme, but even the experienced competitors expressed anxiety.

“I was the team captain in high school, but I’m more nervous now than I ever was then”, says Mariam Youssef, a back-spot. “Back then I couldn’t show any anxiety because I had to hold everything together. Now I’m openly nervous,” she says with a small smile.

And there were good reasons for anxiety. The team has had many girls quit in the last few months and has had to re-arrange much of their routine. Since the beginning of last semester as many as seven people have dropped from the team. Despite tough practices and routine changes, SBCC coach Coral De Alba has big hopes for the team.

“I have been at SBCC for eight years and this is the best routine I’ve seen so far” she said right before the first competition. “It is visually appealing and different, and also crowd pleasing and fun”. De Alba, a veteran gymnast, dancer and cheerleader herself, choreographs all of the squad’s routines.

Before the first competition everyone gathered backstage. In a huge, empty hall the cheerleading teams waited before it was their turn to enter the arena. The girls from SBCC start to warm up and stretch, the air is still and punctuated by silence. In every girl’s eyes you can see the tension and expressions that indicate that “this is for real”.

But once they arrive to the first of two warm-up mats they’re allowed access to before competing, it seems that all the anxiety disappears. Everyone lightens up and smiles and happiness can once again be seen in their faces.

“Santa Barbara City College!” one of the officials then yells. “This is it!” An indication that SBCC is one of the next few teams to perform.

The team enters the arena and performs their routine. Most of the dances and stunts go very well, but some nervous moves and personal mistakes are also apparent.

After their performance the team gathers in the lobby. There is a TV showing the performance from the stage with a 15-minute delay, enabling the teams to see how they well they performed under the bright lights of the competition floor. SBCC comes up, and most of the girls seem positively surprised about it. Duprel Nave-Kilpatrick, a base for the team, is one of them:

“It looks really good so far. It looks a lot better than it felt when we were doing it.”

According to her it wasn’t perfect, but it never is, she thinks.

“This was our first competition as a team and the first time is always the worst. Watching this now helps us prepare for tomorrow. It can only get better from here.”

In the evening De Alba announces the results of the day. In their group of 4 they’re in 3^rd place, a staggering .7 points after number two. A feeling of disappointment can be seen in most of the girls. A team meeting is held at 11 P.M. where weak points are discussed and strategies are formulated.

The next day, the team gathers early in the morning for their final performance. All the team members are eager to do whatever it takes to bounce back to 2^nd-place.

“Today we have to give it everything we have” says Mariam Youssef. “We have so much incredible talent. It would be a shame to waste it”.

The performance goes much better than the day before. The girls are more synchronized and work better as a team than previously. But when watching the video in the lobby many team members start to feel pessimistic again. Emotions run high here. Every little mistake or stunt that isn’t perfect is commented on by the girls, and this upsets Duprel Nave-Kilpatrick.

“I don’t want to hear this pessimism. We haven’t lost. We’ll make it.”

And she’s right. At the awards ceremony the ranks are revealed from last to first, and when Fullerton College is declared as third, the SBCC team starts to shout with joy. They finish second after Mt. San Antonio College, which had roughly 10 more team members than SBCC, but the large trophy and red medals are pure victory for many of them. Outside the stage area, everyone gathers together and positivity is everywhere.

“I didn’t expect to feel so good about a second place, but I really do.” says Duprel Nave-Kilpatrick.

In their first competition as a team they finished second. A good start with much potential, to use the words of the coach. And the team now has experience that will be very important in the numerous upcoming competitions that will be held all across California. A video of the team’s award-winning performance can be found online. For more information, contact Coral De Alba.