Cupertino High School’s Traditional Competitive Cheer team “flew” to new heights at the Spirit Nationals competition from Feb. 13-17, earning the team its first national finalist placement in history.
Spirit Nationals, hosted by the United Spirit Association, is an annual cheerleading competition held in Anaheim, California. Teams performed two routines featuring stunts, jumps and tumbling, all synchronized to music.
CHS competed in the Fight Song and Show Cheer categories, placing third in the latter out of over 50 teams. Despite small mishaps in their routine, the team persevered, according to coach Angela Birse.
“Our performance didn’t go 100% how we wanted, but the team, they just kept going,” Birse said. “That was something that I was most proud of, because we taught them that no matter what, you just keep going. And because of that, they got third.”
Although CHS’s TCC team had qualified for nationals in years prior, this season marked their first top-five placement.
“We’re the first team to bring back […] a trophy. We have a trophy! I’m so happy,” senior team member Wendy Yu said. “I’m really proud because everyone did show up for extra unplanned practices, and everyone put in the work, and that resulted in us being able to do well at the competition.”
To qualify for nationals, cheer teams must score at least 75% of all possible points at a USA regional competition. Despite undergoing last-minute coaching changes, CHS had a successful lead-up to nationals, obtaining this score at all prior meets. The team also placed first or second at every local competition they attended, earning no point deductions at multiple meets.
“[The team] really went above and beyond their own expectations. I think they were really not sure if they were even going to have a season. And then they just kept going,” Birse said.
Throughout the season, Birse worked with the team to develop healthy habits, both mentally and physically, regarding cheer.
“The environment that I came into was people were really stressed out. It’s like the mental aspect — I saw the most growth there,” Birse said. “Trying to find a balance that, yes, we are a competition team, and we do need to work hard and have those extra practices, but cheer is also not the only thing. You still have a life, you’re still kids, you’re still trying to figure out all your other stuff.”
CHS’s TCC team trains year-round, with two to four after-school practices per week. During football and basketball season, TCC members that also participate in sideline cheer attend practices for both.
“This year, we hit the floor running, because I came in end of September, and they were a little bit behind, because we had an unexpected break with finding the new coach,” Birse said. “We basically had to start moving around varsity and sideline practices to make room for the competition practices, and so all the teams did really well accommodating that.”
From summer cheer camps to the recent national championships, CHS’s TCC team has been on multiple trips together, developing a close bond through them.
“So it’s really fun getting to know new people on the team. Especially as a senior, you’re like, ‘Oh, this is my last trip with this team together,’ and you’re still getting to know new people. It was a really sweet moment,” Yu said.
TCC’s season is coming to an end, with their final showcase on March 22 at Overfelt High School in San Jose.
“[The end of the season] is very emotional, because it was my first season,” Birse said. “I cried a lot at Nationals, just the pride and the emotions I have towards the team and how well they work together. […] Whatever happens, as long as you keep going, that’s enough for me, and that’s exactly what they did.”
