Sunday February 26, 2017 at California Adventure was St. Hedwig’s first nationals competition in over 20 years! My cheer team has been working extremely hard for over 3 months. We have been having competition practices almost everyday while cheering on our St. Hedwig basketball teams. Our coach, Mrs. Vasquez, with the help of Ms. Powers before nationals, has encouraged and supported us so much along the way. It was around 10:45 by the time the whole team was at the Disneyland Hotel getting makeup and hair done. Even though we had an hour to leave the hotel and head to grab some lunch before warm ups, it felt like forever. Everyone was going over the routine, trying to calm each other down, and worrying about being on time. Soon enough, 11:45 had arrived and it was time to leave! We headed to Earl of Sandwich to quickly order some healthy food and then walked and walked all the way to warm ups. We took some photos and then speedily stretched and ran over our routine. I wasn’t nervous about performing, it was just the waiting. After all, waiting is the hardest part. Soon enough we were backstage waiting anxiously, watching the other team in front of us on the TV and praying that we would stay safe. Before I knew it the whole team was running on the stage getting in our starting position. One thing that was really fun and cool to me were the lights shining above the team! They were so bright it made me feel amazing like I could do anything. It was only two minutes and thirty seconds later until we were exiting the stage. We were all cheering and congratulating each other on how well we did. About one or two hours later all the different teams were lined up outside the Hyperion Theater anxiously waiting to be called in for awards. The moment finally came when everyone was sitting on the stage praying and hoping that we would make it to finals that day. The announcer said place number twelve, place number eleven, place number ten, and then number nine, St. Hedwig School. All the eighth graders walked up to claim the trophy and sit back down. Even though we didn’t make it to finals we were all very and happy and proud where we placed. All our hard work finally paid off and we succeeded in taking home a trophy. My first and last nationals at St. Hedwig is a memory I will always carry with me.
Lauren Hemphill
8th Grade student