For the first time in 10 years, the Galileo cheerleading squad competed in the California State Competition on Saturday, January 27th, in Folsom, placing 3rd in the “varsity large” category of the competition. The competition included the best cheer teams from across Northern California, where they were able to compete in 7 different categories, and a total of 30 schools participated.
The “Spirit Squad”, the name the team goes by, was ecstatic about competing in state-level cheerleading. The girls put heart, soul, and determination into giving the best performance they could and making Galileo proud. “They were so excited, thrilled! We’ve been working on this routine since October, so it’s a lot of hard work. We’ve gotten extra practice at a private gym, so they put in a lot of work and many hours,” said Cheer Squad Coach Ms. Dunn.
Although the team was excited to compete at the state level, they were also nervous that they weren’t prepared. “The team didn’t find out about ‘States’ until after New Year’s, which only gave us about 3 weeks to work on our routine. I remember when Bella broke the news to us, and we all looked at each other in awe and were all screaming. We were excited but surprised for the most part,” said Junior Kaitlyn L.
However, when it was time for the team to take the spotlight of the cheerleading competition, the Spirit Squad rushed out onto the mat and executed every formation seamlessly, earning them no deductions in points. The dynamic stunts they performed included; Ruby’s slippers, Teddy Bears, Ball Backs, Libs, Arabesques, Peter Pans, and Twist Cradles, all leading to a jump formation.
Closing off into the second cheer, the Spirit Squad displayed their PRIDE with signs and engaging chants that captured the crowd, incorporating them into their performance. With Senior Bella R., Senior Zoey H., and Sophomore Jasmine N. in the front putting on their best faces, it added that much more spirit to the performance. Finally, 2 synchronized cheerleaders, Junior Kaitlyn L. and Sophomore Gabby H., tumbled from the two ends of the mat, building up to an amazing final pyramid formation, with junior Iris. C. in the middle and leaving the crowd in awe.
Many of the cheerleaders expressed how high their emotions were as this was their last performance. Senior captain Bella R. was especially emotional, as this was her last performance. She said, “The cheer team has really become a family, and I love each and every one of them. Going onto that mat to compete, I knew that I could trust every single one of them to hit their stunts, and we did! I’m so proud of us for getting 3rd.”
Some Galileo students even showed exceptional support by attending the event in person. Junior Aser L., who endured a 2-hour long ride in support of the team, said, “I would say it was fun and engaging. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the competition, but I didn’t like how fast it ended. I think since I’ve never been to a Cheer States competition before, being in a place with a lot of spirit, it felt very hype.”
