Four months of hard work for 26 Gilroy Browns cheerleaders comes
down to one two-and-a-half-minute routine at the 2010 Pop Warner
Cheer and Dance National Championships on Wednesday in Orlando.
Four months of hard work for 26 Gilroy Browns cheerleaders comes down to one two-and-a-half-minute routine at the 2010 Pop Warner Cheer and Dance National Championships on Wednesday in Orlando.
A season that began in the heat of August with two weeks of conditioning exercises, 10 hours per week, has reach the boiling point for the group of 12- and-13-year olds led by second-year head coach Kellie Starback.
Though they get one shot to produce a lively and rousing performance to impress a panel of judges, Starback said her spirited pack is ready to rock.
“I think the girls have a great chance of placing,” Starback said. “They are really good and have this trust among each other that you can see when they are out there. They do some pretty fun and difficult stunting. The crowd is drawn in by their dancing.”
The Junior Midget Large Novice cheer squad has already made history by becoming the first Browns outfit to finish in first place at the three national championship qualifying tournaments (Invitationals, Championships and Regionals) and now face one more challenge as they go up against 10 teams from across the country.
The team leaves for Orlando on Monday and will perform Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. eastern time.
This is the fourth team the Gilroy Browns cheer program has had qualify for the big show since 2006. Last season, the Junior Pee Wee and Pee Wee squads took the main stage.
Routines are judged on technique, loud voices, motion, stunting capabilities and jumps, among other nuances, Starback said. A max score of 81 points is possible.
Led by coaches Starback, Stacey Gorgulho, Gina Dimaria and Tricia Pfeiffer, the cheer squad has diligently been tweaking and improving their routine throughout the season.
“We alter our routine based on judges comments to make it better,” Starback said. “It’s a really good routine. The girls have a lot of energy in it. They love it. They love the music. We will fine-tune little things that we can see in video, maybe sharper motions or louder voices. But they are so comfortable with it that it’s kind of like second nature for them.”
Starback added that the Browns utilize an upbeat mix of tunes to accompany their high-octane routine, including some Guns and Roses to more contemporary Hip- Hop.
And as the season wore on, Starback noticed her team forming a tight bond that she believes has carried them through the competitions.
“Probably after about a month of building a routine they started working really well together,” Starback said. “They just clicked. They took this journey and have become good friends, almost like sisters. It’s been fun to watch those relationships form.”
The Browns road to the national championships began at the Invitationals held at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. With a score of 68, the girls leaped past Salinas for first place.
The girls carried the momentum to the Championships on Oct. 30 at Santa Clara University where they bested two other teams with a score of 66 for their second straight first-place showing. And last week, the Browns capped the undefeated run with a 67 at Regionals to send the team to Orlando.
“I’m so excited for them,” Starback said.
