For the first time in 45 years, the cheerleading team is looking toward nationals at ESPN in Orlando. They face their first competition on Sept 6 is Eastern Hancock.
To get to nationals, the cheerleaders have to get a bid. A bid is where the team goes to specific competitions, and the judges will see if they seem good enough to get an offer to go to nationals. Teams have to compete for their spots because only a certain number of them are invited. The squad has been fundraising starting at the end of last school year for plane tickets, staying at the All-Star resort, competition fees, new signs, flags, and megaphones.
“Nationals is a nation-wide competition where teams come to compete from all over the country. It’s hosted in Disney World, which is obviously a perk as well, but it’s where the best teams in the country come to compete. It’s like the last hooray for the season. It’s the highest level you can go as a high school competition cheer team. Greenwood cheer has not been to nationals since the 1980s when it was hosted in Dallas, TX. My mom Becki Habig was the head coach then, so it makes this journey that much more special. I feel honored to be reaching for the same goal as my mom,” Ms. Hayli Habig, cheer coach, said.
As a senior, Cadence Mobely is trying to push her team to be the best they can be.
“Going to nationals is so big and important to us because we have never traveled so far for a competition, let alone Florida. It’s also important because we want to prove that we are proud of our school. At competitions, we have had bad luck in the past and haven’t been able to show our full potential. As a senior and it being my last year, I want the team to make it to the end knowing that we showed how good we can be. Even though we are a small team, we can be and are just as good as the bigger teams,” Mobely said.
The cheer team wants to show that they are good enough to compete at a higher level.
“Nationals is something that hasn’t been in our reach for many years. Other schools in our mid-state go to nationals like Whiteland and Center Grove, but we have tried to get to a higher level and we went into a new division last year to get to this point where we feel great knowing we’re on the right track. This is a way for all of our time and dedication to pay off and feel accomplished. Being one of the few sports that has a chance to go to nationals will be a huge goal and accomplishment,” sophomore Amelia Brooks said.
The cheerleaders’ first competition will show all their work.
“The team going into this first competition is really motivated and confident in the talent and skill they have as a team. Last year was a tough season. We had some really high moments like winning first place in a tough competition and qualifying for State for the first time in a new division. But we also had some heartbreakers, like a fluke fall at a prelims costing us State qualification for our Gold Squad. I think the girls are all coming into this year excited and expectant to see bigger and better results this year. And, they know they have to work hard for it,” Coach Habig said.
Every little detail matters in a cheer routine.
“The team and I are perfecting our routine faster than last year so we can be more prepared for a competition that has higher stakes. Around this time last year, the team was not as ahead and ready for the first competition as we are now. We have been nitpicking our timing and spirit. In this division, our team needs to have maximum spirit and hype, but we also need to be very sharp and have crisp words. At practice on Thursdays, we have a film day. We will watch videos from Wednesday’s practice and talk with the team on what was good and what needed to be fixed. Next week, we are going to start watching other really good team videos and see what we can improve on our routine. Working together more as a team has helped us improve a lot,” Mobely said.
Even though their first competition is in September, the cheer team has been working on this routine since July.
“We have a lot more practices to help us be very clean in our routine, mostly just repetition on keeping it clean and improving every practice. We hired a professional choreographer who won nationals last year to help us perfect our routine. We have been working extra hard, and we started running miles to help us build endurance. Since the routine is run on our endurance, we have to be yelling and keeping our energy up the whole time,” Brooks said.
Coach Habig wants what is best for the team. She pushes the team to train to get to their peak potential.
“We have made a ton of strategic changes to our game plan this year. We are practicing more and conditioning even harder. The expectations are a lot higher, and the girls know that. We have a timed mile each week. We are doing a ton of strength and conditioning tailored to a cheer routine to get us in our best cheer shape possible. As a coach, I am incredibly impressed by their work ethic and attack at the season. My biggest job is to push them and encourage them to come in and be their very best every single day. And, I vow to do the same,” Coach Habig said.
Everyone on the team has the same goal.
“This year, we bond more and are way more open to constructive criticism. Last year, we were more closed off, and everyone didn’t get along. During our film days, we really come together, and we all want the same goal. Knowing this, we all want to help each other reach our best potential for this season. This year we are able to thrive with a team that can work together effectively,” Mobely said.
Every competition is one step closer to the bigger picture.
“This first competition will show us what the judges’ will think of our routine. The score sheet likes to change all the time so we never really know what will be good in our routine or bad. After competing at this competition, we will know what to fix and improve on from the judges feedback. All of these competitions will just help us improve and point us in the right direction towards Nationals,” Brooks said.
The cheerleaders want to prove how much they deserve a spot.
“It is such a big deal because it’s been so long since we have done it. And, it’s important to us that we show just how hard we work and how much we deserve this. We have important jobs as cheerleaders. But on top of that, we are athletes. And we want to prove to everyone that we deserve a spot in this competition,” Coach Habig said.