By Jennifer Hannigan/TVCC Public Information
The Trinity Valley Community College Cheerleaders are hoping to repeat history starting April 11 as they participate in national competition in Florida.
And to help them in that task, they’ve combined the past with the present.
The team will be looking to earn the college’s tenth national title as the National Cheerleaders Association National Finals Competition begins Thursday in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The Cardinal Cheerleaders will present the 2013 nationals routine free to the public in a community performance at 7 p.m. Monday in Cardinal Gym. The team traditionally performs its routine for the public just before leaving for the competition.
The TVCC group has been named the best junior college cheer team in the nation by the National Cheerleaders Association nine times, in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2008.
Cardinal Cheerleading Coach Khris Franklin said the team looked to the best moves of past winning routines as inspiration to build this year’s competition strategy.
“We looked at all the highest scoring sections from last year’s winning routines,” said Franklin. “We looked at all sizes of teams in all different divisions.”
Then, he said, the team’s choreographers used those moves as a foundation.
“We took those skill sets and added some of the TVCC flare,” said Franklin. “We brought in a little bit of old and new in the choreography realm by bringing in a very creative choreographer to work hand in hand with a pair of alumni that are now husband and wife from the 2001 and 2002 national championship teams.”
The group will compete in the first round on Thursday. The top teams will advance to Friday’s final round of competition.
Franklin said the outpouring of support from the community has been key in this year’s competition. Through the sales of the team’s T-shirts and 2013 calendars, the team is competing in new uniforms. Those sales also have allowed Franklin to fund book scholarships for the students.
“We want to thank the community for its outstanding support of the team,” said Franklin.
The first NCA College National Championship was held in Dallas in 1981. The event was moved to the sunny shores of Daytona Beach in 1996.
This year, more than 6,000 student athletes and coaches from 40 states, Canada, and Costa Rica will compete in the event, which includes both cheer team and dance team divisions.
Results will be posted as they are released on the TVCC Facebook page and at www.nca.varsity.com.