Warsaw cheerleaders are going to put their performance to the test against other squads throughout the state. Cheerleaders are eager and ready to go to competition in the Show-Me Regionals Sunday, Dec. 13 in Kansas City.

  “Practicing for competition is a lot of work. We have dedicated three months to perfect the performance,” cheer coach Kelsi Ricks said.

   The competition is open to squads throughout the state.  They will be put up against many experienced schools. If the cheerleaders get the chance to place in the competition, they will advance to the next level in Florida in February.

   The squad practices every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-5:30, but as competition nears, they are trying to add in more practices to make sure they are completely ready. They have been doing lots of cheers, stunts, and extreme dances, which are dances that are faster and more challenging. The cheerleaders are excited, but nervous about competing.

  Seniors Melissa Scrivener and Alexis Riga are the captains of the squad.

  “I wouldn’t say I’m scared for competition but I am a little nervous being that this is not only my first competition, but many of the girls’ first competition. We really don’t know that to expect. On another note, though, what we do know is that we are going to put our best foot forward and perform to the best of our abilities,” Scrivener said.

 Scrivener said the competition is about the team bonding and building that is being done. Competing together makes them work harder as a team and gives a better bond with each other, which is a very important factor in any form of group or team.

 Scrivener said some of her goals before competition are to be able to pull off the bigger and more complex stunts and to improve her motions and jumps that are placed in the routine.

  They learned about the UCA competitions from the cheer camp they attended during the summer. The squad decided they wanted to compete, so Coach Ricks signed up online. They had to do many fundraisers in order to have the opportunity they do.

  Ricks believes that even if they do not win they have worked really hard and the squad has shown everyone that cheer is a sport. The squad dedicated a lot of their time and tried their best during every practice and performance.

  From the beginning, there has been 13 girls on the squad. For the competition they only have two minutes and thirty seconds to do their routine, the routine will start off with a dance, then maneuvers to some stunts, then a cheer, and back to stunts and ends with a dance.

 Sophomore Kylee Myers is scared about the competition coming up.

  The way Myers likes to prepare for this upcoming event is to do lots of practice at home and trying not to overthink anything.           

  ”We practice, but also like to give each other motivational speeches and get each other pumped up,” said Myers.

  The most difficult part about getting ready for competition is doing new stunts that they have never done before. The new stunts are called quarter ups and are difficult to do because they put people in new positions they haven’t been in before.

  The cheerleaders say, above all, they have fun preparing for the competition.

   Junior Johna Newman said she it is a challenge to learn the routines and stunts and is determined to master it all to get the routine perfect. It’s fun being the only junior and makes her feels special to the team.  

  “The team has worked very hard, I am proud of the teamwork that has been put into this and feels like we all are one big happy family,” Newman said.