While the varsity cheer team continues to practice and perform at basketball games, it will not participate in competitions.

“It is really disappointing because we don’t get to show anyone other than those who attend the basketball games what we can do,” top girl Jessica Peterson said. “If we could compete then I think we would have more motivation to make our routines just that much better and prove to people that cheerleading is a real sport.”

Sophomore Allie Kellner, on the other hand, is OK with the decision.

“I am fine not competing because I competed in elementary school so I have the competition experience,” she said. “While that was a lot of fun, I still like cheering for the basketball games and being able to not worry about competitions.”

Junior Ashlyn Kellner said competitions add undue stress for cheerleaders.

“It’s hard for us as a team to have more than two practices a week,” she said. “If we were going to compete, we would definitely need more than two practices a week which is hard for some cheerleaders as homework gets in the way sometimes.”

Allie Kellner said she can do without the anxiety that comes with competing.

“Performing at competitions is different knowing something is on the line and getting that nervous feeling right before you go out on the floor,” she said.

If the cheer team were to compete this year, Peterson said there are a few things she would want to change because many cheerleading teams have a dance, a cheer in between and another dance after.

“I would really like to add tumbling because it will show people what we can really do,” she said. “I just don’t think we tumble enough.”

By Alexa Eenhuis