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The Sidney cheerleading squad competed at the 2014 Nebraska State Cheerleading Team Championships at Heartland Events Center in Grand Island over the weekend.
The team competed in two categories, non-tumbling cheer and sideline cheer. The Raiders finished 14th in non tumbling with 62 points and 5th in sideline with 72 points. Omaha Gross Catholic led in way in non tumbling with 85.33 points while Northwest (80.83) and Plattsmouth (75.5) rounded out the top three teams.
Elkhorn South finished on top in the sideline competition with 90 points while Norris was second with 81.67 and Omaha Gross Catholic third with 76.5.
The Raiders, who are coached by Meg Ashton, will also be traveling to the Denver Grand Championships next month. Sidney will compete at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colo. on March 16.
While the team has been on the sidelines for football games, volleyball games, wrestling and basketball games, this was Sidney's first taste of head to head competition this season.
"We practice all year for a two minute and thirty second routine," said Ashton. "I think the team did well and we'll continue to do better in the future."
For the team members, however, there is more to cheering than a few minutes of competition. It's a performance art and an athletic competition that takes requires long hours of practice.
"I enjoy the cheer portion because it's what we do almost every day," said Kenzie Bowker, who has been on the team for three years. "I enjoy supporting the school and our teams. I'd like to continue doing it when I get to college."
The Raiders practice four days a week for one and a half hours each session. During that time they work on jumps and dance routines. As cheering is very much a team sport, it is also essential to have all the participants acting in unison when a routine calls for it. All that takes a lot of practice time together.
In addition to gaining a proficiency in working together as a team, cheerleaders can't be the shy and reserved types. At least they can't continue to be, even if that's how they start out.
"Cheering helps build people skills and confidence," said Zoey Mines. "When you do something well in front of a lot of people and that makes you feel very satisfied."
Having to command the attention of a large crowd night after night has a way of pulling a squad together.
"You have to crack out of your shell to do it," said Kate Brosnan. "But when I started as a freshman the seniors helped the younger ones and now we do the same for the girls just starting out."
The experience picked up by the Raiders cheerleaders will be useful when they travel to Denver next month, where acrobatics will be a higher priority.
"I come from a different world of cheerleading where there was a lot of tumbling and stunting," said Ashton. "That's where I hope to take these girls and today's experience and what they learn in Denver will will help a lot."
Sidney Cheer team
LaNaya Gutierrez
Kylie Ellwanger
Kenzie Bowker
Kate Brosnan
Zoey Mines
Kaleigh Chavez
Bailee Christie
Samee Kaus
Emma Brosnan
Emily Mika
Hannah Balandran
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