Many would agree that sports are a prominent factor of school spirit. Despite the positive light shined on most sports, those on the cheer team are often overlooked. While they’re at games to motivate and rally, their choreography is only the beginning of how far their skills go. 

     Some members express the heavy pressure that comes along with the sport, especially when it comes to the state competition. 

     “Obviously it’s a different feeling with it being the state competition. It’s not like any other competition where once we’re done and we didn’t do so well, there’s always next weekend,” senior captain Katie Brudvig said. This pressure was even more crushing with Brudvig being a senior, as this year’s state competition was her last. She leaves her team having been a cheerleader all four years of her high school career, as well as helping the team score third place in the state competition, held Feb. 12. 

     Before performing during the basketball game held on Feb. 23, freshman Piper Planalp expressed her bittersweet experience in cheer. 

     “The first day I had a really bad panic attack…It was just such a new situation for me. The coaches were very accepting and some other girls came over and made sure I was okay, it was a very positive environment,” Planalp said.

     This positive environment is a shared experience within the whole team. Freshman Lily Harvey simply describes her experience as exciting and busy, yet fun.