The Tippecanoe Valley High School cheerleading competition squad will head to the Universal Cheerleaders Association National High School Cheerleading Championship in Florida in February. Shown in the front from left are Coach Lindsay Gamble, Brooklyne White, Sarah Farley, Ella Cooke, Braylee Hughes, Trinity Reed, Reese Rensberger, Lydia Smith and Coach Brittany Mathias. In the back row are Coach Ashaya Martinez, Sydney Hall, Anna Bradley, Delilah Wilson, Madison Klinger, Cadence May, Joanna Acosta, Chaney Miller and Coach Jenna Burton.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

AKRON — For the first time in school history, the Tippecanoe Valley High School cheerleading competition squad will go to nationals.

The 14 girls will head with their four coaches to the Universal Cheerleaders Association National High School Cheerleading Championship at Walt Disney World Resort held from Friday, Feb. 7 to Monday, Feb. 10.

Competition Coach Brittany Mathias said the girls qualified for nationals by going to a UCA camp in summer 2024 and then advancing through regional competition in November 2024.

“You have to get a certain score on the score sheet (at regionals). So basically the cut score is a 90, or it could be judges’ discretion,” she explained.

Working on their routine on the bottom from left are Joanna Acosta, Brooklyne White and Madison Klinger. Up top is Chaney Miller.

Mathias noted the girls went up against “some really good teams.”

“When we got our score back, it was an 87,” she said. “We all got a little bit bummed.”

However, Mathias said judges then adjusted scores as the top team scored 91, leading to Valley qualifying. She said the team will compete in Florida as “small varsity” and “non-tumbling.”

The schedule for nationals includes preliminaries on Feb. 8 and semifinals on Feb. 9, with finals on Feb. 10.

“We get to go to a celebration night Sunday night where all the teams that are at nationals for high school will be there, just having fun meeting new people from across the country,” said Mathias.

Going on the trip along with Mathias will be new Varsity Coach Lindsay Gamble, new Junior Varsity Coach Ashaya Martinez and Jenna Burton, who’s been varsity assistant coach. Mathias and Burton are stepping down as coaches after the competition season is over.

Girls competing include Brooklyne White, Sarah Farley, Ella Cooke, Braylee Hughes, Trinity Reed, Reese Rensberger, Lydia Smith, Sydney Hall, Anna Bradley, Delilah Wilson, Madison Klinger, Cadence May, Joanna Acosta and Chaney Miller.

Mathias said going to nationals was “really exciting.”

“Our community has really come behind us and raised all the money in a really short amount of time,” she said. “Most schools charge a lot of money for the girls to go. We only charged a minimum amount per girl to go, and then we have fundraised the rest of it.”

Though the basics for the trip are covered, people are still welcome to email Mathias at [email protected] to learn how to donate. That money will go for such things as one meal for the girls so they won’t have to pay for all their food and adding on carry-on luggage for the flight.

Several of the team members also commented on how they felt about competing at nationals. Reed, who’s a freshman, said going “is definitely a good experience for all of us.”

Cadence May practices.

“Cheerleading can give you so many opportunities,” she said.

Rensberger, a senior, called competing down in Florida “insane.”

“Three years ago, it was completely different from where we are now,” she said. “It’s crazy to think that we’re all getting to go and do this opportunity together.”

May, who’s a junior, said going to Florida was “exciting.”

“A lot of girls don’t get this opportunity (to compete), and it can be a once in a lifetime thing, and not everyone gets to go,” she said.

Fellow junior White said heading to compete at nationals was “amazing.”

“If it really weren’t for this, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be able to go down (to Florida),” she said.

Mathias added people may watch the squad perform its competition routine ahead of time at halftime of the home varsity boys’ basketball game on Friday, Jan. 31.