The Loy Norrix’s competitive cheer team stood poised at the edge of the mat. Their hearts pounded in unison, each beat echoing the countless hours of practice and dedication.The cheerleaders’ smiles were not just for show: they reflected the camaraderie and spirit that has brought them together, transforming them from individual athletes into a cohesive team
On Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, the LN cheerleading team competed in their last Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference (SMAC) of the season at Gull Lake. The three SMAC meets are the most important competitions of the season.
“Chanting with my teammates releases some of the pressure before getting on the mat. I always smile at the judges hoping they will smile back but also making sure to breathe and take one thing at a time,” said senior backspot Kyrstalin Graciliano
In competitive cheerleading, cheerleaders compete in three rounds against other teams in their division. In each round, three judges score each team, and four safety judges make sure each team is properly dressed and safely executes each stunt.
“We’re close to breaking our four hundred subtotal, which is really huge,” said coach Jordan Taylor.
The competitive cheer team started off strong, with a Round 1 score of 220.0. Their round consisted of two toe-touches and a herkie (a jump in which the athlete’s right leg goes diagonal, with the left leg bent at a ninety-degree angle). Round 1 is the most technical, focusing on difficulty and variety including movements, motions and ripples. The team scored an eight out of ten for technique, timing and execution.
The second round began with senior Lana Hanely’s countdown: “lights, camera, action.” Following the first round, the cheerleaders focused on ten motions based on precision, motion placement and synchronization through the first ten counts of the next round. The team scored a 8.5. The round was followed by a front and back walkover as the team’s two standing tumbling skills.
“It’s just the matter of putting what we practice on the mat,” said Taylor.
Earlier in the 24-25 school year, cheerleaders would easily get discouraged and have little motivation to keep pushing or even the discipline to be on the team. Recently, however, attitudes have shifted.
“People aren’t just working for the rounds, they’re working to improve themselves,” said coach Brielle Kimbrough.
Now, athletes often put in extra effort to the point where coaches advise them to slow down to prevent stress-related injuries. The competitive cheer team started with three tumblers and increased incrementally to five. Practice occurs five days a week after school, where they work on all skills including tumbling and stunting. Each round sets a certain goal for what the team aims to score.
“Throughout the round, I remind myself to keep punching and yelling. I always feel like our timing could be better, and our motions could be sharper,” said sophomore side base Brielle Dalke.
Lastly, round 3 is the stunt round focused on choreography, team variety, floor mobility, vocals, difficulty, general impression and execution. Freshman Ali Dawati, and sophomore Makaela Mayfield started with a round-off back handspring tuck, following a basket toss from a stunt group in the back.
“Before competing, I feel anxious before hearing the judges say, ‘You may approach the mat and begin when ready.’ When getting on the mat, I feel more excited and confident to put my all on the mat,” said senior flyer Lana Hanely.
Throughout the round, each stunt was executed well with few to no mistakes, featuring powerful facial expressions from many of the girls. The women’s team concluded the round with a score of 282.40 and a subtotal of 691.52.
Ashari Palmore credits the coaches for helping the team increase their score. She has seen multiple changes and feels fully supported by the coaches.
“I have seen changes in the coaches because I feel like they just want the best for the team. I believe they like to see a smile on our faces when we hear, ‘Loy Norrix wins first place.’ Yes they can be hard on us at times but they just want us to be happy and feel like we can do anything,” said senior backspot Ashari Palmore.
Throughout the years from middle school up to high school, more than half of the cheer team have been working with these same coaches, creating a strong bond. Rather than just strictly coaching, Kimbrough and Taylor have worked to create an everlasting bond by planning activities like a beach day, bowling together, volunteering in the community, and more.
This emotional bond has impacted the team with better rounds being written and the cheerleaders excited to improve with criticism.
“The rounds were written specifically for the seniors this year,” said coach Brielle Kimbrough.
As the closing of their round echoed through the gym, the competitive cheer team struck their last smile. They were breathing hard, but their hearts were full.
“I felt really happy because, personally, it was a good round three for me and my stunt group, but I also felt sad because I realized that I’d never get to do it again,” said senior flyer Jayde Hayworth.
Months of grueling practice paid off. The cheer team embraced each other. They had not only competed but shone brightly, leaving an indelible impression at their last SMAC competition of the season.
The cheer team put it all on the mat!
