UCA Cheer Camp

This past weekend Coach Jessica and I took our cheerleaders to Daytona Beach (Embry Riddle Aeronautical University) for cheer camp. I've been to TONS of UCA camps but never as a coach. We took thirteen girls, none of which had ever been to camp, and only three of them were returners. We thought it would be a smaller camp (thinking maybe 4-7 teams). We were wrong...there were 700+ cheerleaders and it was the largest camp in the state of Florida's history?!?!?

Our poor kids looked like deer in headlights the first day.

Once they finally got things figured out, they were amazing! For our first evaluation, we did a cheer with stunts and earned a blue superior ribbon! The kids were so excited and I think Jessica and I were even more excited than they were because it is the best ribbon you can get! That same night they got their first ever spirit stick!

For our second evaluation, we did the Xtreme Routine and earned a red excellent ribbon (second best). The kids were a little disappointed but we knew that the evaluators we had were going to be tough on our girls. Another thing that probably hurt us is that the last five eight counts of the dance you have to add your own material and UCA tends to want you to add stunts and jumps. We didn't. We added another dance and it looked freakin' awesome. The kids also won another spirit stick that night!!!

The last day we had final evaluations and camp championships. We earned two blue superior ribbons and got a spirit stick to keep. We won second place in the Jr. High division for the Home Pom (dance) competition and third place in the cheer competition! We even had one girl make All Star! Considering that it was such a HUGE camp and we were not expecting that at all, I think our girls did a great job!

Here are a few pics:

Day 1: Home Pom Competition
Day 2: Sammi had just finished licking her plate full of mashed potatoes. Yum.

The kids with their first blue ribbon and evaluation!
About to get their first spirit stick!
Sports rally day! The kids had stars on their faces, star sunglasses, beads, crazy hair, glitter, basketball jerseys, and pretty much anything other goofy thing you can imagine!
Our girls with all their awards!!!