Good Time Charlie & co.
January 29, 2015Police: Girl, 2, killed by truck in Thibodaux
January 30, 2015
The Vandebilt Catholic High cheerleading squad did it again.
For the second-straight season, they won the Louisiana State Cheerleading Championship.
The Terriers took home the top prize at the 2014 LHSAA State Cheer & Dance Competition, held Dec. 6, 2014, at the Monroe Civic Center. They outlasted Dutch-town, Central and E.D. White, who finished second, third and fourth, respectively, in the High School Time Out Dance event.
Vandebilt’s squad was a gutsy bunch that showed the ability to overcome a world of change – something always incredibly tough in a routine-driven sport such as cheer. The Terriers won state, despite replacing 11 seniors from last year’s title-winning squad and replacing them with nine junior high competitors who had never competed at the high school level.
Terriers’ coach Kayla Vicknair said she “couldn’t be prouder” of her squad.
“It really is an overwhelming feeling of excitement,” she said. “I’m happy for these girls and the school. With the program continuing to be a success, that makes me happy. It’s definitely more than we
expected to be accomplishing at this point.”
The Terriers’ path to the title wasn’t easy. With last year’s senior class gone, Vicknair said her squad started the season a little bit behind compared to the previous year.
But she said the team’s title-winning hopes were boosted because of a team-wide effort to excel, led by 2014 squad captain Jessica Martin and Vandebilt seniors Josie Eschete, Lauren Lirette and Amber Brady.
“We dedicated lots of time and hard work at practices,” Vicknair said. “Our seniors from last year are definitely missed, but my seniors this year have definitely stepped up, as well as some of my juniors. These girls know what it takes to win and be successful, and they are helping me push our younger ones, as well.”
The Terriers’ championship routine was the team’s home pom routine, which it used in the High School Time Out Dance Competition.
Vandebilt also brought home a state runner-up title in the Large Varsity Competition, finishing second behind Ouachita, which won the title.
Vicknair said the team’s runner-up routine is the harder routine of the two to execute.
And to make matters worse, the coach said the actual championship meet is a huge ball of nerves for everyone involved, because all of the months of preparation are decided by a lone performance.
The team trains and dedicates its blood, sweat and tears to the sport for months, and a single performance decides a team’s fate or standing.
Any slip, hiccup or misstep means the team’s practice and training can be all for naught.
But for the second-straight year, the Terriers’ competitors withstood the pressure, delivering a near-flawless routine.
The Terriers’ coach said that sitting and watching from afar is a helpless feeling. But she added that when your team aces it, it’s easy to tell right away, adding that it’s one of the best feelings in the world.
“The nerves are bad – real bad,” Vicknair said. “I try to hide mine to help the girls be calmer, but it’s hard. Cheerleading isn’t like other sports. It’s like if in a football game, you only would get one down to try and score. For us, we get one shot – two minutes and 30 seconds, and it all has to be perfect. I always tell the girls to perform like we practice and to have fun.”
With the state meet out of the way, the Vandebilt cheer squad now has bigger goals on its plate. Vicknair said her squad will travel to Orlando in three weeks to compete at the National High School Cheerleading Championships.
While there, Vicknair said the Terriers will perform the same routine that generated the runner-up finish at the state meet.
Vandebilt won the national title last year in the Game Day Division, and the team will attempt to retain its title this year, while also striving to reach the finals in other divisions.
It’ll take another top-notch performance for it all to happen, but if the past two years are any indication, Vandebilt will be up for the challenge. History shows that these ladies perform their best when all of the biggest chips are laying on the table.
“We’re trying to focus on Nationals right now,” the coach said. “In order for us to continue succeeding, we need to just keep working hard. We need to keep doing what we do.” ES
‘I’m happy for these girls and the school. With the program continuing to be a success, that makes me happy.’
Kayla Vicknair
Vandebilt cheerleading coach
The Vandebilt Catholic cheerleading squad is now the back-to-back state champions. The team won the state championship last month after performing a quality, top-notch routine. Next, the team will compete at the National High School Cheerleading Championships in Orlando.
