After wrapping up a strong performance at regionals, the Shadow Ridge High School cheer team is setting its sights on the biggest stage of the year—Nationals. Under the direction of Coach Leilani Chanes, the team has been working tirelessly to perfect every detail of their routine before heading to Florida very soon.
Preparation for Nationals is no small task. Coach Chanes spends hours reviewing videos of performances in slow motion, breaking down each movement and formation.
Chanes stated, “I critique everything, I write down who needs to adjust, which way they should face, and where motions aren’t sharp. Then we go over it all in practice so they can fix the details.”
Her goal for the team this season is simple but meaningful: to make it to day two at Nationals.
“That’s the next big step for us,” she said. “We’ve been building toward it all year.”
This season, the team’s chemistry and energy have been key factors in their growth.
“It’s definitely better than last year,” Chanes shared. “They’ve done more team bonding and they’re all on the same page. Everyone wants the same thing.”
The road to Nationals hasn’t been without challenges. Illnesses and last-minute changes have tested the team’s flexibility and resilience.
“At our last regional, one of the girls got sick, so we had to replace her two days before the competition,” Chanes recalled. “It was tough, but the team came together and made it work.”
Balancing school spirit and competition training is another challenge Coach Chanes has mastered.
“When we perform at school events, I incorporate competition skills so the team is still practicing while representing Shadow Ridge,” she explained.
As Nationals approach, excitement is building. For Chanes, what she looks forward to most is seeing her athletes hit their routine with confidence.
“That’s always the best part,” she said. “When all the hard work finally comes together.”
Cheer has always been more than a sport to Coach Chanes, it’s been a lifelong passion.
“It’s my life,” she said with a smile. “I was a cheerleader growing up in Hawaii, and now my girls are in cheer too. It’s really come full circle.”
With focus, dedication, and heart, the SRHS cheer team is ready to take on Nationals and make their school proud.
