Three Times Two

Helen, Mortimer, and I left a slowly warming Jacksonville and drove to Orlando. This stop was not on our original agenda, but when we learned that our California granddaughter, Abby, and her high school cheer team won first place in the state competition and thereby qualified for the National competition at Walt Disney World, we quickly rearranged our schedule. We would spend four nights at a KOA campground to support our beautiful red-haired granddaughter.

We attended the 2024 National Championships, where Redondo Union won first place in their division (Large, GameDay, non-tumbling). It was the first year her school fielded a competitive team, and the motto “Why Not Us?” fueled them to take home a Gold Medal. An amazing accomplishment for a first-year program. Abby was a freshman that year, and a few girls from that team remained to compete again.

Helen and I drove out to the ESPN Sports Complex to watch practice on the day before entering competition. I remember doing this two years earlier…it’s overwhelming. I described it then as “an abundance of cuteness and athleticism wrapped in a huge package, held together by a million miles of hair ribbon.” Nothing has changed except the colors of Abby’s practice uniforms (now green instead of red).

Lisa Hedspeth (affectionately known as “Coach H”) is the Varsity cheer coach and makes it known that the Championship is a business trip. Parents, grandparents, and family friends should have limited contact with the team. No distractions are permitted, including visits, dinner out, or even short conversations. When we walked past the team, we got a quick smile from Abby, then went to a balcony to watch practice. Soon, Wendy, our daughter-in-law, arrived to join us.

For this year’s competition, Redondo qualified three teams for the championship. The Varsity would field a large GameDay, non-tumbling team, as well as a team in the intermediate, Traditional, non-tumbling category, a first for Redondo Union. I don’t have the specifics that define each category, but it appears that GameDay is what one sees on a football sideline, while Traditional is a longer performance for the periods between quarters or halves of a basketball game. Don’t quote me. Redondo Union Junior Varsity also qualified a team for GameDay. The Traditional team would hit the floor at 8:40 the next morning, competing against 22 teams from throughout the country. The GameDay team would compete at 9:50 that evening against approximately the same number of teams. We mentally prepared for a long day, but knew that adrenaline would carry us through.

The traditional performance started well, but near the end, one of the girls fell during a lift. The team immediately recovered and completed the program. It was a downer, nevertheless. Two hours later, all of the competing teams assembled in an outdoor arena to learn which eleven teams would advance to the final round. Despite the fall, Redondo Union qualified in second place out of 22 and would perform at 11:00 am the next morning.

That evening, Redondo Union delivered a high-spirited, flawless GameDay performance—optimism reigned. The final eleven would be announced overnight on Varsity TV, a streaming service covering high school athletics. I was up early to check the results. Once again, Redondo Union qualified in second place, just ahead of Maryville (TN) High School, less than thirty miles south of Knoxville. The GameDay final was set for 4:00 pm that afternoon.

The 11:00 am Traditional final was a smooth, polished performance by Abby and the team. No mishaps or falls this time, and the girls felt very good about the results. The awards ceremony was scheduled for 1:00 pm. Helen and I arrived 45 minutes early, but we had to elbow our way through hundreds of Cheer Moms for good seats. The announcers began with the sixth-place team and worked their way down the line. The third-place team received a nice trophy and Bronze Medals for each cheerleader. When the third-place award was announced, only two teams remained, including Redondo Union. Our girls were smiling broadly. Alas, they finished second to a well-deserving team. Many were disappointed, and some were in tears. Nevertheless, they walked off the stage with their heads high, a silver medal around their necks, and carrying the new trophy aloft. Second place is quite an accomplishment for the first year in the Traditional Division.

Coach H refocused the team and mentally prepared them for the GameDay competition at 4:00 pm. When they took the stage that afternoon, any disappointment had vanished. The enthusiasm had returned, and the team went through every movement with precision. When the team finished, some had their doubts about finishing high. They didn’t have to wait long to find out, as the results would be announced 45 minutes later. Helen and I remained in our seats with our fingers crossed. Soon, all eleven teams were seated on the stage, gathered around the trophies and medals. Once again, the officials began with sixth place and counted down to the top three. Our girls were still standing, somewhat surprised. Once again, Redondo Union finished second, but was jubilant at the announcement. Maryville High School finished with Bronze Medals and deserves hearty congratulations.  Abby later told me she was somewhat surprised by the outcome. I knew they had it all along…that’s the grandpa in me.

In addition to the two silver medals won by the varsity cheerleaders, the Junior Varsity also took home a silver for their GameDay Competition. That’s three silvers for one high school out of a 49-page spreadsheet of competitors. Congratulations to all who coached and participated. Competitive cheerleading is a demanding sport, and I’m thrilled that Abby’s team was rewarded for their efforts.

I went back to our fifth-wheel and celebrated by hugging my dog.  We’re Easin’ Along…Panama City and great weather await us.