It’s comp season and “Touchdown, touchdown, let’s go Dogs!” was one of the many memorable chants our Palisade cheer team showcased at the Denver Spirit State competition. 

But these cheerleaders don’t get enough recognition for all the work they put into their routines and the effort they put into their cheers at games and events. Every morning before school at 5 am, the cheerleaders practiced in the auxiliary gym for two hours, perfecting their chants and their competition routine. They have been practicing for months on end to get their routine where they wanted it. The team left this past Wednesday early in the morning (4 am) as they drove to Denver. Immediately after arriving at the hotel, the team went down to the Cherry Creek Mall. As a team bonding activity, each grade within the cheer team (freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors) created their own class bears at Build-A-Bear. Afterward, the team went to the Cheesecake Factory in the mall to bond before their big performance the next morning. The team performed in front of many other schools from across the state and a panel of judges at 9:26 in the morning. The performance included megaphones, stunts, mascots, and the iconic Palisade fight song. After performing, the rest of the afternoon was spent waiting to hear the results and their placement at 3 pm. Unfortunately, our cheerleading team didn’t place top 11, so they didn’t go on to the finals but they still performed exceptionally with 0 deductions. Everything was as perfect as you could get it in the routine, and the head coach, Roni, is very proud of all the hard work they have put in. After hearing the results, the team jumped back on the bus and headed home. It was only a two day trip, but it was worth all the hard work and effort the team put into their routine. It was a great end to the competition season and especially for the seniors. “It was a great last experience to end my high school career,” says senior Hannah Kuhn, who has been involved in cheer for all years of high school, “I can’t wait to see where the team will go from here.” But the practices don’t stop, they just started. Next up, the team will  continue practicing in the morning to prepare for basketball season. Good job Dogs, we are so proud of you!