Flying into third
LOREN BENOIT/Press Logan Hall of North Idaho College Cheer performs a backflip during the group’s send off performance on Feb. 20 at NIC. The squad placed third in its division at a national competition last weekend in Anaheim, Calif.
By DEVIN WEEKS
Staff Writer
Even though they had less time to prepare than they did last season, the cheerleaders of North Idaho College still rocked it at competition.
"They had the best warm up in the warm up room that I have ever seen them do. Everybody was perfect," coach Cassie Motley said Tuesday. "We got onto the mat and we had some nerves, we had a couple deductions, but they performed really well."
The NIC Cheerleaders took home a trophy for placing third in the two-year college small co-ed division at the 2018 United Spirit Association Collegiate Championships, held in Anaheim last weekend.
The competition is usually held in March, but was moved ahead a month to meet the requirements of the competitive cheer as sport legislation in the state of California.
"We didn't have very much time to get ready ... but how it ended up when we performed went better than I expected," said Madison MacDonald, a freshman who had never experienced a national competition until Anaheim. "I'm very proud of how we executed everything."
Second-year cheerleader Kailey Smith said she feels good about the results.
"I'm really happy we placed at all," she said. "We gave it our all and we tried really hard, and so did the other schools. I'm really proud of what we brought out and what we could show, and we showed this is what we can do."
The cheer competition featured squads from 30 different colleges and crowds of up to 5,000 spectators.
"It's adrenaline and it's exciting," Smith said. "When we get on the mat, my heart’s racing and I feel like it’s going to jump out of my chest. Right after we finish, I feel so good about it."
NIC's cheerleaders conducted a 3-minute routine that featured cheering, stunting, tumbling, pyramids and "flyer" cheerleaders getting tossed into the air.
"We went out there with what we were dealt and took advantage of it and we did our best," MacDonald said. "I would 100 percent do it again just the way we did it."
The NIC Cheerleaders will be performing at one more game this season, then spending the rest of the semester focusing on school and serving their community. Motley said they'll be running concessions in the NIC gym and working in the kid zone at North Idaho Building Contractors Association Home and Garden Show next weekend.
Tryouts for next cheer season will be at the end of May. Those interested in learning more are welcome to contact Motley at motleycassie13@yahoo.com.