Silence. Dead silence. Suddenly, music blares from behind and the routine begins. Five, six, seven, eight… 

     Dozens of competitive varsity cheer teams underwent this process on Saturday, Oct. 26 during the Mid-South Regional Cheer Competition at the Landers Center in Southaven, MS. The Spartan varsity cheer team prepared for weeks for their turn in the spotlight.

     “This year, we practice typically twice a week… and then we have games on Fridays, competitions on Saturdays,” Jillian Maxwell (11) said. “When it comes closer to competition, we typically practice every day, and sometimes weekend practices.”

     While some might think that the cheer team only wears their uniforms for the football games, the varsity team also competes with teams from the region, state and country during the competitive season. They perform a routine in front of half a stadium full of people, not to mention a large panel of judges. This year, regionals was the first competition for the Lady Spartans. As a result, there was some tension surrounding the event.

     “I think everyone was nervous… since it was a first competition,” Gabby Harrison (11) said. “We just pulled the routine together really quick…It was our first time ever doing the floor routine a few days before.” 

     In order to stomp out the stress, Coach Chelsea Snell-Stage created a new tradition for the team: “Spartan Spirit Dust” (aka green glitter) was placed in the shoes of the team for good luck. Whether or not the dust made a difference, the Lady Spartan cheer team won second place in the large varsity non-tumbling division. Although some members were disappointed by the end result, the true achievement of the competition is the bid to nationals. The team will use their time until the state competition in December to practice, perfect and polish their routine in order to represent WSHS well.