LLOYD: Applauding high school cheerleaders for their effort and athleticism
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- Payson cheerleaders pose for photos after finishing second in the co-ed division at the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Payson cheerleaders prepare to compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Orem cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Westlake cheerleaders celebrate winning the state championship in the co-ed division at the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Salem Hills cheerleaders celebrate after competing in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Payson cheerleaders pose for photos after the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Payson cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Payson cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Payson cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Westlake cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Westlake cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Westlake cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Westlake cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Salem Hills cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Salem Hills cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Salem Hills cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Cedar Valley cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Orem cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Orem cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Orem cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpview cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpview cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpview cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpview cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpview cheerleaders prepare to compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Spanish Fork cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Spanish Fork cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Spanish Fork cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Spanish Fork cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 5A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpanogos cheerleaders prepare to compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpanogos cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpanogos cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Timpanogos cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Mountain View cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Mountain View cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Mountain View cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Mountain View cheerleaders compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Provo cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Provo cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Provo cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Provo cheerleaders prepare to compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 4A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.
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- Westlake cheerleaders celebrate winning the state championship in the co-ed division at the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Westlake cheerleaders prepare to compete in the co-ed show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Lehi cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Lehi cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Lehi cheerleaders compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
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- Lehi cheerleaders prepare to compete in the all-girl show division during the 2024 6A state competitive cheer finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
For just the second time in my two-decade career of covering high school athletics, I spent significant time at a competitive cheerleading competition.
The sport became sanctioned by the Utah High School Activities Association for the first time in 2023 and worked through some of the bumps that come with the transition. Now it is Year No. 2 and it’s finding its groove in this arena.
On Thursday and Friday, I had the opportunity to see these athletes take the floor at the 4A, 5A and 6A finals at the UCCU Center in Orem in all-girl and co-ed divisions, performing show, sideline cheer and dance routines.
I admit that I don’t have a clear understanding of all the nuances of competitive cheer — but after watching hours of choreography, tumbling, cheers, lifts and tosses, I can appreciate the amount of time and effort these athletes put into their craft.
“People don’t realize how much we do,” Payson cheerleader Amberly Peacock said after the Lions competed in the 4A competition on Friday. “We go to every function, every single activity at the high school basically, to support them. It’s a hard thing to do physically, but I think it is even harder mentally.”
I don’t know if these girls and boys get nearly the credit deserve.
When you think about cheerleaders, what comes to mind?
The two-dimensional caricatures that are so prevalent in Hollywood depictions of high school?
The uniformed performers standing on the sidelines of other events?
The chants and cheers they shout to a crowd that sometimes joins in — and sometimes doesn’t?
The reality is that being a cheerleader is a lot more than any of those things.
“It’s stressful,” Payson cheerleader Kaylee Fratto said. “There’s so much that’s put onto your plate. You just have to put a smile on your face every time you go anywhere and you have to be put together. But it’s so rewarding. It’s so fun to cheer on our school and our teams and just be positive.”
I go to a lot of high school games and tournaments, so I see a lot of cheerleaders at work. I sometimes get in their way when I’m trying to get in position to get photos on the court or the field or the mat.
Think about this: How many other teams do so much to try to help other teams succeed?
I was pleased to see other athletes I know from some of the schools at the state cheer finals. I know Westlake had a sizable contingent of boys basketball players at the UCCU Center to see the Thunder win the co-ed state championship.
Considering how many basketball games the cheerleaders go to, it was only fitting the hoop athletes showed up to be there for the cheerleaders.
“It’s different than what we normally see,” Peacock said. “When we get the amount of support like we did today, it’s amazing. Our section was full of people. We don’t feel like we are just the ones to help. We’re the ones being helped as well. It’s a great experience. I love having all of our supporters here.”
This weekend, it was their turn to give it their all.
“Coming out here to compete by ourselves for our own sport too is just as rewarding,” Fratto said. There’s so much hard work that goes into it that I don’t think a lot of people realize. It’s just so fun to be a part of a community that supports each other.”
It was great to see Westlake (6A co-ed), Salem Hills (5A all-girl) and Wasatch (5A co-ed) win state titles, while Payson (4A co-ed) and Cedar Valley (5A co-ed) all finished second in 4A.
The other teams (Lehi, Provo, Orem, Mountain View, Timpanogos, Timpview and Spanish Fork) also performed their hearts out. Months of work came down to just a few minutes in the spotlight.
“It’s so scary to be out there,” Payson cheerleader Maddie Miller said. “But it’s so rewarding to see. We’ve worked all year for this so it’s good to see it come to life and see what happens. But there are a lot of nerves.”
But I also see this as the perfect time to say thank you to these athletes.
You see, I’ve been to so many games where the cheerleaders are the only ones trying to encourage a squad that’s having a tough night. Sometimes they get no help from the crowd but soldier on, doing the best they can.
I applaud them for being able to do it all, from dancing to tumbling to lifts and tosses to coordinated cheering to spontaneous enthusiasm.
These athletes are an integral part of high school sporting events and deserve to be appreciated for their work, their spirit and their attention to details.
I appreciated the advice that Fratto, Miller and Peacock had for future cheerleaders. I think it cab be applied to just about everyone in any situation.
“Work your hardest,” Miller said. “Don’t let little stuff get you down. What’s in the past is in the past and then just get better.”
Fratto said: “There’s so much hard work that’s put into cheer, so just keep your focus on the same path and just work so hard because it’s so rewarding in the end. There’s so much fun that goes into it and spirit, so just keep your eye on the prize and don’t take it for granted.”
Peacock said: “It’s going to be hard. Just don’t give up. Keep pushing through because if you have your goal set, your team is going to help you get to that goal. If you’re having a hard time, make friendships with those people and they will help you. Just don’t give up.”
Next time you are at a high school event, take a few extra moments to appreciate the efforts of these athletes.
I know I will.
