Our very own cheer team has brought honor to Paschal High School once again by showcasing a wonderful performance last weekend at National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) with both Varsity and JV participating.
National Cheerleaders Association embraces their rich heritage as the first cheerleading company and continues to pioneer the way with innovative camp curriculum, industry-leading championships and events that reward the hard-working, well-rounded cheerleaders all around the states.
Cheer Coach Reimann shared her delight for the team’s successes. “We are so proud of both our teams! JV finished in 2nd Place and won the Vocal Excellence Award in the JV Large Gameday Division and Varsity finished 4th Place in the Large Varsity Game Day division. We are so proud of our cheerleaders for competing at Nationals for the first time in Paschal’s history and finishing so strong!”
The physical demands of cheerleading are often underestimated and the cheer team this year went through a very rigorous and long process to prepare for competition. The team came back almost a week earlier from Christmas break and spent everyday practicing 8am-5pm practicing for their upcoming competition seasons.
The NCA competition wasn’t the only triumph of the cheer squads this month, the girls also performed on the UIL stage earlier this month. On January 6th, 2024 the Varsity cheer team competed in the UIL Spirit State Championship preliminary round competing against 71 other 6A D2 teams from across Texas. They then made it into the Top 20 and proceeded to go on to finals the same day. They finished and placed top 5 in the State of Texas! They also won Best of Category in Band Dance for the entire 6A D2 Division.
“Not only are we proud of how our cheerleaders compete at such a high level, but we are so grateful for our Team Behind the Team. At UIL, our Paschal community came out in full force. Between teachers, parents, administrators, future Paschal cheerleaders, and alumni, we filled the arena with Panther Pride! There was no doubt that Paschal was the most well-represented school there! We can’t ever get over that,” said Head Cheer Coach Saenz.
Varsity Cheer Captain, Karoline Litke has been cheering since middle school. She played a leading role in Paschal’s success securing state titles two years in a row.
“Something that is truly incredible about our team and the Paschal Cheer Program as a whole is the family atmosphere present. We always make sure to support and encourage each other no matter what, which helps us to all stay energized and push through even when we’re tired. Finally, our mindset is one of the main reasons we have been so successful. This past weekend, when taking the mat, our only goal was to simply try our absolute best and improve from our previous time competing. Because of this, we were able to genuinely enjoy performing. As Coach Reimann likes to say, “We’re chasing the feeling, not the result!”
The NCA competition allowed Paschal’s young cheer girls to practice and compete among experienced senior squad members. Freshman cheer captain Marley Gurney competed as a member of the NCA varsity team, where she overcame the learning curve and became a stronger athlete. “It was a blessing to cheer with the seniors; I learned so much from them. The practices were definitely hard, and it took my breath away, but I built up my stamina.”
The season’s successes in JV and Varsity events have mutually benefited all the girls. Senior Varsity cheerleader Georgia Hardy described how rewarding it was to see the younger division of Paschal girls place highly. “Seeing our purple team receive 2nd at NCA made me so proud and happy to be a part of such a special opportunity.”
Additional members of the Paschal cheer program are the Purple Team Coach Mrs. Pfeifer and Coach Ms. Green.
