Gallery: (3-25-2023) Cheer at Texas Grand Nationals
FRISCO – Wayland Baptist's cheer team came home Saturday from the Redline Texas Grand Nationals as Collegiate Gameday National Champions.
"They worked really hard to get here, and I think they did really great," WBU cheer coach Kinsley Monroe said following the competition held at the Ford Center at The Star, a 12,000-seat indoor stadium that serves as the practice facility for the Dallas Cowboys.
Wayland's 14-member cheer team – Kira Weatherton, Alyssa Lucido, Damita Estrada, Celeste Lozano, Aubrey Jaramillo, Demmi Payne, Hope Duran, Karleigh Licerio, Racquel Brown, Samisoni Siaosi, Miranda Sarinana, Hannah Gray, Paulina Yvette-Porras and Gwen Phillips – entered in a game-day style competition that focuses on leading a crowd, band chant, sideline cheer, cheer and fight song. Within those categories are sub-categories such as band chant, creativity, synchronization, motion technique and crowd appeal.
The team's routine, which must be under three minutes long, features stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, jumps and, Monroe said, "lots of sign work."
With a possible score of 100, Wayland came away with an 88.34.
Monroe said her squad performed best in fight song. "The judges commented that we showed very good energy and sharp motions."
While Monroe said the competition routine is "something we think about all year long," the squad has spent the past three months specifically practicing for it, meeting at 5:50 a.m. for a close to two-hour practice 4-5 times a week. Monroe said each team member also is required to work out on their own, videoing their "homework" for the coach to review.
Prior to Saturday's competition, the cheer team was able to practice its routine at an online event – the College Virtual Championship by the Dance Team Union, which was part of the College Classic – a couple of weeks ago.
In addition to valuable feedback from judges, Wayland earned second place, finishing just behind College of the Sequoias (Calif.). The winning team scored 41 points out of 50, while Wayland finished with a score of 40.43.
"We did really well there, too," Monroe said.
Before leaving for Frisco, WBU's cheer team performed its routine for the public at Rebel Cheer & Dance in Plainview.
"I'm really proud of how everything went today and how hard they've been working," said Monroe, who in addition to her squad thanked her graduate assistant coach, Melissa Lucido. "She is such a huge help and I couldn't have done it without her. I'm very thankful for her."
Monroe said the team will try to polish its routine further in advance of another event next weekend in Round Rock – CHEERCATION: Kalahari The Final Expedition. Wayland will compete against a school, Centenary College of Louisiana, that's "really similar to us skill-wise," Monroe said.
"I'm excited to see how it goes next weekend."
