Recently, the cheer team at Shadow Ridge High School has accomplished some major achievements. The cheerleaders traveled to the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Florida for UCA Nationals from February 7th to February 8th to compete against top teams from across the country. They had been preparing for this competition since July 2025. After an impressive performance, they placed second in the nation, which was a first for Shadow Ridge.
Shortly after, the cheer team competed in the JAMZ National Championship held at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas from February 20th to February 21st. They first learned their routine in July 2025 and had many practices and competitions since then to help them prepare for JAMZ. They earned first place for the second year in a row. The cheer team has shown their dedication, talent, and hard work pay off with these amazing achievements.
“It was pure shock and so rewarding to hear our name called for top three at nationals. We worked on our routine for months leading up to the competition,” Breanna Buczeskie, senior states. “The week before we practiced every single day and even practiced at the competition to make little changes to score the best we possibly could.”
After months of hard work and preparation, hearing their name called was an unforgettable moment for the team. The cheerleaders had spent countless hours perfecting their routine and making sure they were able to perform to the best of their ability. All of their dedication and teamwork helped them achieve a new accomplishment for Shadow Ridge.
“Cheer really is a group effort and everyone has to give it their all for anything to work out,” Anastasia Hazel, senior, states. “I think everyone on the team wanted to do well for themselves and for the other girls, so it was easy to stay motivated. It felt great to place second at UCA because we were competing against 21 other teams. To hear our team name being called so close to first and in the top three made us feel so accomplished and proud.”
The cheer team’s success did not come from just one person, but from the effort and dedication of every athlete. Working together led the team to great success.
“It felt amazing, being able to see all of our hard work and dedication really paying off in the end,” Eliana Cruz, junior states. “No matter what, my team was always pursuing the end goal of winning JAMZ, and we did it for the second year in a row.”
The team’s determination and focus helped them place first in the JAMZ National Championship. The cheerleaders were extremely excited and proud to see that their hard work had paid off. Winning the championship for the second year in a row was truly a memorable moment for the team.
“Being a student athlete is not for the weak,” Cruz states. “You have to make sure you are able to perform to the best of your abilities not only in your sport but also in school. I think it was just a matter of working on our assignments and homework at any chance we got, maybe before practice or after practice, but my team did a fabulous job on keeping a balance.”
Balancing school and athletics can be difficult for many student athletes. The cheerleaders had to manage their time carefully while preparing for competitions and keeping up academically. Despite their busy schedules, the team persevered and reached their goal of placing first.
Overall, the cheer team’s success not only shows how talented they are, but also the pride and determination they have for Shadow Ridge.
