Competitive Cheer Competes One Last Time Before Nationals
March 29, 2006
Maryland Competitive Cheer heads to Ocean City, Md. this weekend to compete in the Reach the Beach Championships hosted by American Cheer and Dance Academy.
Assistant Coach Jarnell Bonds says despite a few challenges at practice, the team will be ready for this weekend. "We have been practicing on the hard-foam floor for the past three weeks and it's definitely much harder than on our spring floor. But this is what we'll be dealing with at Nationals, so it's necessary the girls get used to it."
Bonds says the pyramids and partner stunts are very consistent regardless of the surface change. "It's great to know the pyramids will hit, considering they were our major struggle all season long."
"We are only performing full-out routines at practice and doing everything we can to test their endurance." She says the women are gaining confidence thanks to their ability to hit skills on the hard floor as the practices get longer and the days go on. "They have learned that their technique and hard work will pull them through even when they feel exhausted."
Delaware Valley College, Wilmington College, Penn State - Mont Alto, Seton Hall and SUNY Brockport will all be competing against the Terps in the Collegiate All-Girl Division, which begins at 8:16 p.m. on Saturday. The Terps compete last at 8:56 p.m. On Sunday, the division begins at 8:36 with the Terps competing at 8:44. The event is being held at the Ocean City Convention Center.
The Terps' take off for Daytona Beach, Fla. Wednesday morning, April 5th. They will compete in the preliminary round on Thursday, April 6th and the finals on Friday, April 7th in their fight to take home the 2006 NCA Division I National Cheerleading Championship.
