On Thursday, January 23rd, our Junior Varsity and Varsity cheer teams took the four hour journey to Fort Worth to compete in the UIL State Cheer competition. On Friday and Saturday, the Cheer teams competed Spirit routines, similar to what they would often perform on our very own sidelines. They beat over 80 teams, allowing them to become state finalists and earning them the spot as 14th in Texas!
Since summer, the BHHS cheerleaders have spent countless hours learning and perfecting their routines. Emma Hook, a senior member of the varsity team, said that during their Monday through Friday practices they took many measures to ensure the accuracy of their routines. “We broke down each section to make sure we knew what we were doing, to make sure we were all sharp, and to make sure we were all on the same count.”
Though the teams put a heavy focus on the choreography aspect of the cheer routines, they also had to fine-tune their vocal expression in order to strongly convey school spirit to the judges. “I mean, I kind of lost my voice every week,” Emma confessed as she reflected on the countless months her and her teammates spent in preparation.
Throughout this process of learning and cleaning, the cheerleaders had to prepare just as much mentally as they did physically. Especially in such a team centered sport, it was crucial that they fostered deeper connection and trust! Phoenix Garza, a Junior and the Captain of the JV team explained, “I think we’ve had to do a lot of mental preparation and sit down with our team.” She continues, “If I’m in a stunt and I’m the backspot, I’m not only responsible for what I’m doing, I’m responsible for the three girls in my group so that we don’t mess up. It is literally about being under people and supporting them, and that takes a lot of mental connection.”
The icing on the cake of their experience, though, may have been the support from friends and family members. According to Phoenix Garza, many supporters showed up to encourage the teams in their own special way! She blissfully spoke about the sweet gestures from family members, saying that “through the curtain, all you could see was blue glow sticks in the air, and it was our parents, and that was something that was so special– feeling like we had people that were supporting our team, so seeing those blue glow sticks meant a lot.”
Any team member from the Varsity or Junior Varsity Cheer team would agree that the ranking they received was a new peak for the Cheer program as a whole. The amount of improvement in their performance is astonishing! Emma Hook explained, “We made history in Barbers Hill High School. Barbers Hill High School cheer has never made finals in UIL State, and to do that just made me feel like I did something to contribute to my school.” Triumphant moments like these truly showcase community’s support, teamwork, and incredible excellence. UIL State has not seen the last of the Barbers Hill High School Cheer program!
