Just behind the stage, a team of cheerleaders arrang the props they intend to use. As the previous team’s music fades out, announcer says, “Now welcome Greenwood High School to the mat.”

That one sentence is what motivates the competition team. With three challenging practices a week they perfect their routine. The most recent competition was Regionals in Lexington, Kentucky.

Ms. Hayli Habig is the coach for the varsity and competition squads. Regionals are arguably the most impactful to the team’s season, and Coach Habig felt that pressure.

“Regionals are such an important competition because it is the route to Nationals. Your performance and score at Regionals determine whether you receive a bid to Nationals. You have to receive a bid to get to go;you can not just sign up. A bid is basically your invitation to compete at Disney. So Regionals were so important because if we did not perform up to the standard, we would not receive the bid,” Coach Habig said.

The team has been preparing very well since May.

“The girls understood how important the Regional competition was. Really, it was the pinnacle moment we had been preparing for since May. I coached them in preparation like I do before every competition. We practice how we want to compete, we focus on even the smallest details, and we work on it until it is perfect. Then, we work on it some more. This was not something we threw together. This was months and months of discipline, dedication, and grit,” Coach Habig said.

Senior Hannah Robinson has been on the competition team for two years. 

“To prepare for this competition, I rewatched videos of our routine from practice, and I looked at what things I could do better and what things I should keep doing the same so that I could apply them to the routine,” Robinson said.

Sophomore Brooke Shipley has done competition cheer for three years but has never had an experience like she did at Regionals.

“Regionals were a really cool experience. The stage was raised, and they had these super bright lights right in front of the stage. At most competitions, it is in a gym in a high school, so competing in an arena was an interesting change of environment, and I can not wait for Nationals to have that same feeling,” Shipley said.

GHS tied for 11th place. Coach Habig is ready to prepare her athletes for Nationals.

“I am so thrilled with where our team placed. We competed against teams from Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, and beyond. We were up against some of the very best talent in the country, and I am thrilled that the judges saw we were worthy of that Nationals bid. We have several areas of our routine where we will be adding more difficulty to up our scores even more. We will continue to practice harder. We are keeping our eyes on the prize,” Coach Habig said.

Junior Olivia Lester had her personal motivations in the Regional performance.

“My motivation to keep pushing has been my teammates. We have all worked so hard this year, and I wanted to put 100 percent because everyone else was,” Lester said.