“GO, lions, GO!” The Lions Elite cheer team shouts as they cheer on the volleyball team, perform in competitions, and hype the school in pep rallies. 

Lions Elite has participated in two competitions this year starting on November 27th, where the team created a routine one week after gaining a new member. After warming up in their first competition, the team got a feel for what competing was like and what they needed to continue working on. 

“I felt nervous about my first competition with this team, but after, I felt more confident about the second one, and we did a lot better. For the next competition, I feel very confident that we will do even better,” said Paisey Reyes, seventh grade.

Then, the Sunday after, the team went to another competition. Unfortunately, as the Lions were preparing, two cheerleaders were unable to perform, and the Lions had to rework their routine. After practicing most of the day, the Lions won first place, an additional judge choice award, and two free bids to future competitions. 

“At the first competition, I felt very pressured because we had not practiced enough with music beforehand. In the second competition, I felt more confident and felt more prepared even though two people couldn’t preform,” said Melodie Chavez, 12th grade.

The Lions are now preparing for three more competitions this year, two in December and one in May. Leading up to the competitions, the Lions will learn more challenging stunts, tumbling, and complicated routines. 

“By working harder, running laps, building strength, endurance, and leg power I know we can continue to improve even more,” said Amaya Lewis, 10th grade.