Cheerleading; Blog #5

State Regionals

One significant moment in my life was the day that my cheer squad won second place in state regionals.  Cheerleading has always been a big part of my life, and meant a lot to me to be on the team.  We cheered for a district on Maui not a school; we had many over time practices and stunt trainings.  My position was a “flyer”, meaning during the stunts I was the one tossed in the air by other teammates.  Our team after many football games were visited we were invited to a cheerleading event, this event was a different teams getting judged upon on who would make it to regional’s, and what teams didn’t make the cut.  This event was the marking point to how bad we were willing to work and strive to go to regionals.  When the day came, our team had a routine that we took pride in and scored an 8.5, stating us and 3 other teams made the cut for regionals.  Regionals took place on Honolulu, and our 4 teams from Maui would represent different age divisions.    

Preparing for regionals was hard work.  We used football games as practices, had night practices after school and homework.  The weekends we used to set fundraisers to help get money for our plane tickets, hotel costs, and new uniforms.   We had set up about every fundraiser by time regional’s came around, from various car washes, bake sales,selling chocolate bars, selling flowers, and going asking the crowd in stands during football games.  Our team did this for 10 weeks before the day finally came.  

The day before regional’s finally came, our team was in Honolulu getting ready for our last practice before we went back to the hotel and rested for the next day.  One of my best memories with the squad was the night before judging.  I can’ explain the nerves, the laughs, all the things that reminded us we were more than a team.  I spent more time with these girls then being home after all the practices, late nights, they became more like my sisters. 

We woke the next morning, and the emotions, and stress was overwhelming from our coaches.  Our squad worked too hard to mess up on anything.  I remember getting ready, changing into our teal and white skirts and long sleeves, with dramatic amounts of hairspray being sprayed.  The time it took doing all our hair created more of an adrenalin rush getting us all pumped and prepared to wait for our number to get called to walk on stage and perform our 10 minute, our 75 “8 count” routine.  I can honestly say we learned and practiced that routine over 60 times, but at that moment before leaving to the convention I thought I was going to forget it all.  Finally we were ready.  Our hair was done, make up on, nails re-touched, duffle bags packed, and headed to the cabs.  I remember the ride there was dead silent; everyone was looking out the window coming to reality that we made it this far and we actually on our way to compete with about 30 other squads that were all striving the same title we worked hard for.  

Walking to our section of our provided tent, we came face to face of many of our competitors.  The day went by a set schedule of age divisions.  We were of middle age, and waiting for our number, 15 out of our category.  The hours were going by fast, and seemed we heard the crowd cheering after every routine about a million times.  After we heard the judges table ask for the number 14, our adrenaline and nerves went crazy.  We new after the last time we heard the music stop, the crowd applaud, that we were next to be called on stage and perform to hundreds of people watching, but most importantly the judges.  After the weeks of hard work it came down to this day, time, and routine.  All it took was for someone to fall down, a stunt go wrong, someone miss there 8 count and we would have been out for the metal and trophy.  We knew the minutes were counting down.  As a team we went in a huddle and got our last advice from our coaches, prayed, and got each other pumped with excitement. 

Number 15 called threw the speakers we already standing by the stairs of the stage.  I took one last look of the judging table before we got into position.  Walking to my desired place I felt the excitement, and got scared at the same time, looked into the crowd and put my pom pom’s to the side of my feet.  The music started playing and the “8 counts” were memorized, stunts landing perfectly, cheers were on time, no one was off point, and all I can remember at that moment was smiling.  Our 10 minute routine seemed like it lasted 20 but in the end we did what came there too do.  Our coaches met us at the bottom of the stairs and congratulated us with leis.  

Now we had to wait till the rest of the finalist to perform and the judges to go and review all of the scores to who would receive an award.  The last 3 hours I finally somewhat felt relieved and a little nervous, we were waiting under our huge tent trying to find anything to get our mind off the judging.  Finally all 30 squads were sent to the middle of the convention center.  The judging process started with fourth place, and then third place, and continuing.  Every team name they called sounded unfamiliar.  When it came down to second place, everyone around me started cheering; I didn’t even realize they said Kihei Dolphins.  First place didn’t even matter, because getting that far felt like we already were first place.  The moment I received my metal, and trophy me and my girls were jumping and going crazy on stage as if nothing else mattered, cause at the time nothing did. 

This event was significant to me because we worked hard and dedicated a lot of time to get to that accomplishment.  We went back home after the airport happy and proud.  This event will be remembered for the rest of my life and be truly cherished.