Competitive Cheer Team kicks off to Michigan

The Competitive Cheer Team is getting ready for a full day of work on December 16th as they compete their routine at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Kaitlyn Caiarelli, Competitive Cheer team captain said, “We can’t predict what will happen on the mat, but we can do our best to prepare the routine itself.”

An understanding that their efforts may not make the impact they want, but that they will do everything in their power to perform to their best ability can be seen. 

By practicing for two and a half hours, three times a week, the cheer team is conditioning and formulating a routine to take to competitions. Their efforts offer the possibility that the competitive cheer team will place with their routines at the national competition held in Daytona, Florida this year.

Bettina Harold, Point Park University Competitive Cheer & Dance Head Coach, said, “I see them all come together and support each other when they are trying something new, when they are going for something, in this past year we had something with one of our coaches when she became sick, and it was nice seeing the support of the team.”

As one athletic season ends, a new one begins and a welcome dinner is hosted to introduce all the new members to better their relationships for the competition season to come. 

At first, the team practices basic stunts, drills, and combinations, for weeks, to get their bodies back into shape.

Their first event this year was Point Park’s homecoming weekend at the Pirate's game held at PNC Park on September 29th. 

Now that the season has officially started, the team will not only perform at Regional and National competitions across the country, but will perform at all home basketball games and campus performances, including their own pep rally and showcases.

With each competition or event that occurs, the team will identify their mistakes and let each other know what to fix. 

Each competition provides every team with a scoresheet based on their performance. 

The cheer team will use this score to help their choreography move forward so that the national performance in April is the best that it can be.

The Competitive Cheer Team had their Fall Showcase recently, on December 10th, at Point Park University. 

As Herold, Point Park University Cheer & Dance Head Coach said when asked to give advice for those interested in joining, “Don’t be afraid of thinking that it is too much or that you are not enough, we find the best in everyone, and we are not focused just on winning, but on the overall experience and how we feel in the end.”