The squad, one of six different cheerleading squads at Mill Creek, will compete in six competitions this year as they attempt to bring home a state championship in a sport that is a combination of athletic skill, spirit and dance.
Mill Creek head coach Ashley Baker has high hopes for this year’s squad.
“This is the most talent I’ve ever had – a lot of natural talent,” she said.
While Baker would like to win a region title this year, she said the primary goal is to go to state. To do that, the Mill Creek squad needs a top-four finish at the region tournament which they will host on November 1.
“I would love to sit here and say our goal is to win region, but I feel like there is no need for added pressure,” she said. “The ultimate goal is to get to go to state. The top four at region is what I put in their mind, but I believe we have the talent and the work ethic to do very well this year.”
Talent and work ethic is not only needed, but absolutely essential for the Mill Creek squad.
While spirit cheerleaders, such as the football and basketball squads, work hard to fire up the players and the fans, the competition squad takes cheerleading to the next level.
“Typically, they’re your strongest cheerleaders,” Baker said.
When cheerleading tryouts are held in the spring, prospective cheerleaders indicate if they are interested in spirit cheerleading, competition cheerleading or both. The competition cheerleaders are chosen first, Baker said.
“For most girls on the competition squad, they end up getting to cheer what they would like to because they are so talented,” she said.
While most of the competition cheerleaders perform double duty as spirit cheerleaders for the football or basketball team, four members of the squad participate in competition only.
Of the 20 girls on the squad, 16 are allowed to be on the floor during a competition. The extra members of the squad serve as alternates in the event of injury – a distinct possibility given the nature of the sport.
Currently, two of Baker’s cheerleaders are sidelined with injuries that prevent them from performing the demanding stunts and tumbling required of competition cheerleaders.
During the team’s two and a half minute routine, the squad performs standing and running tumbling, pyramids, basket tosses, partner stunts, a cheer and a dance.
To qualify for the squad, the girls must be able to perform certain gymnastic moves. All of the varsity competition cheerleaders can perform a standing back tuck, a standing back handspring back tuck and a round-off back handspring back tuck. Most have even more advanced tumbling skills in their repertoire, according to Baker.
These skills are critical since tumbling comprises a full 30 percent of the team’s score in competitions.
“You have to have quite a bit of tumbling in order to be competitive,” Baker explained.
Each routine is judged on difficulty and execution.
“My varsity competition cheerleaders are the best of the best,” Baker said.
COACH KNOWS BEST
Baker knows talented cheerleaders when she sees them.
A former gymnast and dancer, Baker was a member of the Parkview High School 1998 state champion competitive cheerleading squad. During college, she coached all-star cheerleading and began a seven-year-stint at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) as a camp instructor. Now, in her fifth year teaching at Mill Creek, Baker not only coaches competition cheerleading, but is also beginning her second season as a cheerleader with the Atlanta Falcons and the Georgia Force.
Baker said being a competition cheerleader is very demanding.
“It definitely is an athletic sport,” Baker said. “We practice four days a week, we have competitions and they also have spirit practice and football games, so they keep a very busy schedule.”
While the focus of the squad is on developing the skills needed to win competitions, the girls also learn teamwork, time management and personal skills.
“We’re really big on working as a team,” Baker said. “We become a little family and we just look out for each other.”
“They are a wonderful group of girls,” she said.
UP NEXT
Mill Creek will compete September 6 at Collins Hill High School. Both the varsity and junior varsity squads will participate in the competition which is scheduled for 11 a.m.
