They stood in a circle, heads bowed and hands intertwined, blocking out the noise echoing through the arena. 52 teams had competed in their division, but only 25 would hear their names called and advance to the next round. For the first time in school history, the Woodlands High School cheerleaders were one of them.
“We were overwhelmed with excitement, and we weren’t really expecting to make it that far,” sophomore Naomi Jones said.
Before this moment, the cheerleaders only competed in UIL (University Interscholastic League) state competition, but this year they decided they wanted to leave their mark on a national stage. For them, competing at the UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) National School Spirit Championship wasn’t just a trip to Orlando, Florida, but a challenge to prove themselves while transitioning into national contenders…