With top 10 finishes the previous three years, the MSU cheerleading team is working hard for the upcoming UCA cheerleading competition with hopes of securing its first ever national championship.
National Collegiate Championship competitions will be held January 16-19 at Disney’s Wild World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.
The rules of nationals are simple: each squad’s presentation must include at least one cheer or sideline chant, and each team will have a maximum of two minutes and 20 seconds to demonstrate its routine.
Judges will then rate each team. There are 50 possible points based on stunts, pyramids, tumbling and overall entertainment.
“Our goal this year is to go and compete in the best way we can,” said Johnathan McMillin. “We want to accomplish the things that we have set forth, but also have fun and do what we like to do at the same time.”
In preparation for the prestigious event, the Bulldogs are enduring a rigorous practice schedule. The team has upped its practices to twice a day.
“Right now we are having practice when everybody else is getting ready for finals so it is real tough on everybody,” said head coach Darryl Lyons. “The team is also giving up part of its Christmas holidays to practice because the competition is after Christmas, but it’s all worth it when you get there.”
Despite the demanding practice hours, the team remains focused on its main goal-a national championship.
“We have to have good stunts, good tumbling and good enthusiasm,” said Shelly Johnson. “We have to hit everything and work well together because it is going to take a lot of teamwork.”
If the Bulldogs are to reach their ultimate goal of a national championship, they will have to find a way to defeat national powerhouses and fellow SEC participants Kentucky, Alabama and LSU. The Wildcats had won nine straight titles before Central Florida knocked them off last year.
“There are some really good teams like LSU and Kentucky who are some of the top squads in the nation,” said McMillin. “There are really hard to beat every year, but we are building a program here and it won’t be long until we are in the top five with them.”
“I think that we can at least be in the top five if we hit our routines,” said Lyons. “A lot of times teams will put together a routine that is too difficult and they won’t hit it, and therefore don’t score as high. If we can go in a make our routine as difficult as possible and hit it, then we can get in the top five.”