The cheer team left its mark on California Baptist University’s history by winning the championship title for the second year in a row at the USA Collegiate Cheer Championships, held in Anaheim, Calif.
CBU competed against five other universities for the title. The team won first place in the all-women, four-year college division.
“The CBU cheer team puts in countless hours of training and practice time to hone their skills and perfect their routine,” said Tami Fleming, head cheerleading coach. “While the rest of the school was on spring break, the cheer team stayed on campus and trained with two-a-day practices putting in 20 hours of practice time in only four days.”
Only a day before the team left, last-minute changes had to be made to the routines due to injuries.
Olivia Miller, senior graphic design major, said the way the team pulled together is what brought them through this challenge.
“This year, we have really been working hard, and this team is probably the most talented we’ve had,” Miller said. “The coaches have really been pushing and challenging us all season. I think the ultimate reason we won was because we came together as a team.”
Fleming credits the team’s passion, commitment and love for God as the driving force behind why they have come this far and succeeded as a team.
Next for the CBU cheer team is the College Cheer National Championships. Last year, the team lost by a hundredth of a point. This year, Fleming said they are “hungry for the win” and “determined to bring the trophy back to CBU and make history.”
The championship will take place April 9 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
