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ALBUQUERQUE — Their efforts didn’t result in any trophies, but Belen, Valencia and Los Lunas performed with plenty of heart and soul last weekend at the State Spirit Championships in the Pit.
“It’s fun. I just love it,” said Kiara Parra, who took the floor for VHS in the cheer competition.
Belen senior Aaliyah Cordova added, “It’s a different type of feeling — this is what we worked for since last June,” all for a routine that lasts around two minutes.
From a coaching perspective, “It’s the best,” said Joni Thompson-Armijo, of the LLHS Tigerettes dance team. “You put it on the floor and show what the girls have worked so hard for.”
State Cheer
Friday during the cheer competition, teams showed their skills in two events — Game Day and Cheer with Music.
“Nerve wracking” is what first-year Valencia coach Denise Garcia, a Belen graduate, called the meet. “It is completely different than being on the mat myself. It’s a different kind of adrenaline.”
The Jaguars performed well, finishing fifth, with Taos, Artesia and Valley taking the top spots out of 14 teams in 4A.
Belen cheerleaders finished 12th.
“(We) put it all out there,” said coach Pauline Vallejos about the Eagles’ Game Day routine. “As coaches, that’s all we can ask for.”
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Ultimately the team goal, Vallejos says, is “to put Belen on the map” in Spirit competition. “I’ll continue to try and try and try,” adding, “It’s a blast.”
Los Lunas competes in 5A, coming in 10th out of 16 schools in cheer, with La Cueva, Cleveland and Volcano Vista taking home the trophies.
The Tigers started working on their Game Day routine in October, with it evolving each practice until the final product.
“It’s completely different,” said Marlene Barela, who is retiring as LLHS coach. “We started off with everybody doing the same things. Now, we have signs and flags going. They are all going from different directions.”
With so much going on, it may be difficult to focus during a performance.
“I mostly blank out,” admitted Belen’s Lucia Monroe. “I’m looking at something, but I don’t know what I’m looking at.”
“I’m looking into the crowd. I’m looking at all the people that I love,” said Isabell Montoya, an LLHS senior. “And the judges, hopefully sparking something in them.”
Judges are the ultimate arbiters, open to criticism like any sport. From down on the floor to high above, the judges score each performance, parsing every movement.
For the seniors, this final championship brings memories to the forefront.
“A lot of bus rides, a lot of eating, just a lot of laughter,” is what Monroe will remember. “The best part is spending time with my teammates.”
State Dance
The only Valencia County team competing in State Dance was the Los Lunas Tigerettes, who finished seventh out of 21 teams in 5A, with Roswell, La Cueva and West Mesa atop the standings.
Dance teams enter two categories, choosing from options that include Pom, Jazz, Military and Hip Hop.
Saturday, the Tigerettes competed in Pom at noon and Jazz two hours later.
“They do their own kind of mental stuff,” said coach Thompson-Armijo about staying sharp during the break. “Some listen to music. Some need to just calm down. Some eat snacks, good snacks.”
When the music ends, many of the competitors are exhausted, mentally and physically.
“It’s definitely a different kind of stamina,” said Madison Aragon. “It takes a lot of work to learn how to control your body, have it move certain ways. It’s a different kind of stamina then most sports.”
While some may not consider Spirit a sport, Parra of VHS won’t hear it.
“Everyone brings down cheer,” Parra said. “In my opinion, it’s a very difficult sport because you’re flipping, you’re turning, you’re throwing girls in the air.”
