CSC Cheer Team makes history at Nationals

By Daphne LaVigne and Faith VanDeMark

Laurel Rush takes her first step onto the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) collegiate Competition stage, met with lights so bright that she couldn’t even see the crowd and music so loud she couldn’t hear her teammates next to her. 

The NCA Nation Cheerleading competition features athletes from all across America, to compete in many different divisions, including co-ed and all-girl, large and small, and intermediate and advanced, Rush competed at Chadron State College, who competed in the intermediate small co-ed Division II category. 

Since the first competition in 1951, NCA has been the center of cheerleading competitions everywhere. The competition is staged in Daytona, Florida and features teams who compete outside on the coastal Bandshell and inside on the Ocean Center stage. The Eagles will be competing on Friday and Saturday in the Ocean Center. 

Competitors are scored out of 90 and are given two chances to perform, the first performance making up 25 percent of their final score, and the second making up 75 percent. 

This will be the Eagles first time in program history that they step up to compete at the national level. “Its already special to be doing this and the fact that it’s the first time makes it even more special,” said Rush, a Chadron State cheerleader. 

Having representation from across the States, the competition will feature approximately 500 teams, including house-hold names in the cheer world like Navarro and Trinity Valley. 

“I can’t say I’m not nervous to represent Chadron on the national level, but I can say I feel prepared and proud of our routine, our hard work and our perseverance this season. Regardless of the result, I am so thankful to be a part of this team,” said Rush. 

Rush finishes in her ending pose, legs exhausted and heart beating. For a split second, everything is silent, until she starts to hear the crowd roar and her teammates celebrating. Rush had just made school history.