By: CU Cheerleader and Observer columnist Jizzabelle Lovejoy
What a ride it’s been. Since my time with the cheer squad, we’ve been through:
- a plane crash (which started my whole Odyssey with the team)
- a survival situation right out of a slasher flick
- our captain having cocaine withdrawals during practice
- a subsequent change in team captain
- a martinet of a new coach taking over
- said coach’s resignation
- significant turnover within the team itself
- an attack by a mob of unga bunga loonies in Laveau
- finding out the hard way that trafficking goes on at the club a lot of us work(ed) at
- the near death of the two males at the base of our formations, one of which has not fully recovered
- campus construction interfering with our practice schedule
It’s a lot to handle for a group of college kids, some of whom aren’t even old enough to drink yet. We should probably look into some therapy for all of it, frankly. Living here in the Hathian area, where “if it bleeds it leads” means “get in line,” well…one tends to develop thick skin. We’re made of tougher stuff because we have to be to survive.
When interviewed by former captain Shilo Casen, (who herself transferred out to Winter’s Gate and is thus now with their news team and a rival squad) here’s what the team had to say in the lead up to competition.
With all that going on, one could be forgiven for thinking we’d never make it to Orlando in one piece. On the other hand, I’d argue that so much adversity brought us together in a way nothing else could, because once in Florida, YOUR COLUMTREAL CHEERIOS WON THEIR 8TH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!
Unexpected Cheerio Captain Shines Through Adversity
Perhaps the most surprising part of the story is the unlikely ascendancy of our new captain. When pressed for remarks on the victory, she was quick to credit the whole team.
“It feels amazing! The whole squad worked so hard for this, and the competition was top level this year. But we rallied up, gave it our all and came through! I think the new choreography I’d been developing really gave us that little extra edge, but it was a squad effort, through and through. Everyone was awesome!”
–Cheer Captain Isabis
See, when infamously laid-back stoner Isabis took over leadership just months before competition, eyebrows raised. She didn’t seem like the captain type. I could relate. After all, the trafficked GED prep charity case probably isn’t anyone’s type to run a sorority.
Hence, many doubted her ability to lead the team to another championship, even under the best of circumstances…and she only had three months of prep time. Then Laveau happened, with all the grievous injuries that entailed, after which our coach (understandably) resigned for safer job opportunities.
So, despite the Cheerios’ championship pedigree, the odds finally seemed stacked against us.
Bright Lights and Fireworks
On Saturday night, the competition was fierce, and there was even a pyrotechnic mishap onstage, with a rival cheer team suffering injuries in the process. But we Cheerios have dealt with worse before. It’s remarkable how so many life or death scenarios can prepare one for the pressure of competition.
Under the bright lights and exacting scrutiny of the judges’ panel, Isabis laid to rest any doubts about whether or not she could steer us towards another win at Nationals. To pull it off after what we’ve been through is nothing short of extraordinary.
Here’s what the rest of the team had to say:
“Thanks for taking me with you! I am so proud.”
–Kelly Shepherd
“I can only say one thing… let’s celebrate it!”
–Rayna Halley
“Wish you all a good night! Pity I’m too tuckered out to see you at Disneyworld after competition!”
–Ulric Merlin
“The most shocking thing isn’t that we won, it’s that Ulric made it here at all after how he laid it down to save all our asses back at Laveau!”
–Me
“Winning Nationals is way better than being hunted in Laveau!”
–Haizley Harlow
“We didn’t just win, we stole the show just like true Looters should!”
–Charlotte McConnell
And that’s it from Orlando folks. Your national champion Cheerios will be returning to Hathian and Columtreal soon, and we’ll see you all there with the trophy in hand. A celebration will be in order next weekend!
