For the first time in program history, the Bearden cheerleading team advanced to finals at nationals – marking a milestone moment for the athletes, coaches, and community.
This achievement is especially meaningful considering the program’s recent journey. Last year marked the team’s first trip to nationals in over a decade, signaling a long-awaited return to the national stage. That season ended in semifinals, where they narrowly missed advancing to finals, a result that left the team proud, but hungry for more.
From summer practices to early mornings and long sessions at the gym, the team was committed to refining every detail of their routine with one goal in mind: qualifying for finals.
“We got our routine in May and had been practicing for eight months and breaking down each part of the routine,” senior captain Kyra Rasmussen said. “We’re fortunate enough to have UT coaches come in and help us with our routine and provide feedback which helps a lot.”
The athletes waited anxiously as results were announced. When their name was called as a finalist, their team embraced each other as they realized they had secured a place among the nation’s top programs for the first time ever.
“We walked off the stage feeling confident and knowing we did our best,” said junior Adelyn Spencer, following a strong preliminary and semifinal performance.
With strong motions, clean transition, and elite level stunts all executed under intense pressure, the team delivered one of its strongest routines of the season.
Senior captain Ava Stinnette said that this team was different compared to previous teams.
“Everyone on the team has experience and have all been to nationals so we all knew what to expect headed into it,” she said. “We knew what steps we needed to take to do better.”
Added Rasmussen: “We’re all very hardworking which helps us execute even better.”
While their stunts and tumbling were highly scored, the team said they were especially confident for one section of the routine, their band chant.
“The band chant is the very first part of the routine and immediately catches your eyes,” Spencer said. “The song that we chose is very well known and it’s very fun to dance to.”
The fun and confident band chant set the tone for their routine and their drive for success was the main determinant of success in their season.
“Since we didn’t make it to finals last year, it means even more to us that we qualified this year,” Spencer said. “We’ve been able to see how we have grown and improved.”
Added Rasmussen: “It was an even cooler experience compared to last year and really showed our team that hard work goes a long way.”
The team placed 15th place in finals. Regardless of the final placement, the teams historic appearance in finals cements this season as one that will be remembered for years to come.
“This is just the start of how we are paving the way for future teams,” Stinnette said. “Hopefully one day the team will be able to become national champions”.