Campo’s brand new JV Competitive Cheer team went to their first USA Spirit Nationals alongside the varsity Competitive Cheer team during President’s Day Weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
The newly formed team was started for the 2023-2024 competition season as a way for the Sideline cheer team to compete, in addition to cheering for Campo’s football and basketball teams. The cheer team competed and qualified for Nationals during the 2022-2023 competition season, but didn’t end up going that year. Senior Co-Captain Danika Ajari said, “Last year we did just one competition to try [competing], and it seemed like a lot of the people on the team enjoyed it. We qualified last year, but we weren’t able to go.”
Junior Co-Captain Adriana Carranza said, “It was really fun to go, and it was good for the team to go. Even last year where the team kind of existed, it was good validation for a lot of the members to still work just as hard as the other teams that were there.”
The trip wasn’t only a competition, but it was an exciting new experience for the whole team. “It’s been a fun year. I’m glad I got to [go to] Nationals my senior year” said senior Miles Hallam.
While JV Comp enjoyed performing, there were issues with the scoring for their routine. According to Hallam, the team was “supposed to get fourth [place], but they mixed us up with another team…they rewatched our video [of the routine] and had to take off points for our pyramid…I’m happy with how we did.”
Despite the change in score, Nationals was a success for the team. “I think it was a good experience for us,” said Ajari. “Since it was our first year [at Nationals], we didn’t have as many expectations as varsity did, because they’ve gone before…it was a really cool and fulfilling experience, and it was nice bonding with the team.”
While the team didn’t have a perfect competition season, everyone had fun and got to have a new experience. One of the many perks of getting to go to Nationals in Anaheim is getting to go to Disneyland the day after competing. Sophomore Samantha Roumbanis said, “I liked going to Disneyland and having the feeling of independence…it was really fun just hanging out.”
Despite the team being new this year, JV Comp had a strong season, and the athletes are excited for a new year and more competitions. Roumbanis said, “I’m really excited for next year. After how this year went, I think the next season is going to be really great.”
