This year, Carlsbad High School created the school’s first CIF competition cheerleading team. The new team is a great opportunity for the cheerleading department to grow. 

The CHS competition cheerleading team is considered an official California Interscholastic Federation, or CIF, sport. Any student at CHS has the opportunity to join the competition team, and it is not required to already be a part of the sideline cheerleading team. Junior Marley Adgate is a team member on the competition cheer team and has been cheering for over eight years. She is also a member of the CHS sideline team.

“I think the team is important to CHS because it gives those who want to cheer an opportunity to compete and show off their abilities,” Adgate said. “Once we get our routine solid, it will really show off what the CHS cheer team is and what it has to offer.”

The competition cheerleading team is completely different from the sideline cheer team at CHS. The competition team consists of learning a two-minute routine which they use to compete against other cheerleading teams from other schools. These routines consist of tumbling, jumps, stunts, dancing and a cheer. Junior Haylie Bonner is a part of the CHS competition cheer team and has been cheering since eighth grade. Prior to high school, Bonner had both a sideline and competition team experience.

“I did one year of competition cheer in eighth grade through Pop Warner, so I have a little experience in competition cheer,” Bonner said. “But sideline cheer is extremely different from competition cheer. You have about two minutes to perform a very fast-paced and high-level routine, whereas in the sideline you are cheering for an entire game.”

The competition team has brought challenges for some of the athletes as well. With extra practice and upcoming competitions, it can be a lot for a high school student to manage. 

“It is challenging to balance time for school, sideline and [competition] cheer while still maintaining a social life,” Adgate said. “I know it will all be worth it and pay off once we compete.”

The competition cheer team is momentous for the school and for the athletes, allowing CHS to show off their new edition to their athletics department. Junior Katie Schaefer has been cheering since eighth grade and is also an athlete on the new competitive cheer team.

“I am excited for all the competitions and to perform,” Schaefer said. “This is the first time we have been approved to compete and be able to just showcase what we can do as a school.”