At the recent USA nationals, Shadow Ridge’s cheerleading team showcased their talent and dedication, leaving a mark on the competition.  Among the various divisions, Shadow’s team secured very good rankings, marking a significant milestone in their journey.  Here are some of the highlights of their performances and the lessons they learned from this amazing experience.

The varsity team exhibited their ability in the Varsity Show Cheer Intermediate level, achieving the 9th position out of 23 formidable teams.  Despite facing tough competition, their amazing performances and routines really caught the audience’s attention.  The team was a bit nervous on the stage.  Many members of the team felt the anticipation affecting their levels of confidence during their performance.

Ava Giolito, a senior states, “My favorite part about competing is getting to show off our hard work from the season, and the feeling after performing a good routine, and getting to celebrate it with my other teammates and coaches.”

In the junior varsity division the team got to the 7th position out of 23 teams in the JV Show Cheer Non-tumbling Novice level.  Their dedication to do amazing and a ton of rehearsals led them to do really well.  The achievement shows the commitment and effort each member of the team had.

The gameday team exhibited exceptional skill, securing the 7th position out of 18 teams.  Their amazing routines and enthusiasm showed the spirit they have.  This accomplishment marks a big milestone for the team showing their growth and resilience throughout the season.  

Giolito states, “My favorite part of the entire competition was being able to finish my cheer career with some of my closest friends, especially the other seniors I entered this program with.”

What sets this year apart from the others is the achievement of having all of the teams place at the USA nationals for the first time.  Their success shows the dedication they have, the perseverance and the commitment of Shadow’s athletes and coaches. It serves to show how hard they tried and how great they all did.  

Giolito states, “For the varsity team, I felt like we were truly prepared when we went into this competition. However, I feel like once we got there, a lot of us let the nerves set in, and once we stepped onto the mat the nerves got the best of a lot of us. Given this, something the team can improve on for the upcoming season would be confidence.”