The Collegiate Cheerleading National Championship, in which the UH cheerleading squad finished seventh overall, will be nationally broadcasted March 11 at 10:00 a.m. on ESPN2.
The seventh place finish marks the third-straight top-10 finish for the accomplished squad. All members of the UH Rainbow cheerleaders were in sync; boasting a routine complete with a dazzling array of twists, turns and flips. But the judges felt a few early mistakes in the final routine outweighed a strong finish, thus costing the Rainbows a win.
The Rainbow cheerleaders surprised the competition with a unique blend of men and women while performing a high impact routine. Such a demanding routine is usually attempted with more men, according to UH cheerleading Head Coach Mike Baker. "I guess other teams needed more guys... an equal number of guys and girls worked just fine for us," Baker said. "We had a couple of set backs this year that caused us to peak a bit later than I had hoped, but I couldn't be more proud of this teams ability to overcome obstacles and work together."
The UH cheerleading team is nationally known for some of the most creative and athletic routines, made possible through disciplined coaching and exceptional athletes, including some of the best stunters in the nation. But a newly implemented list of regulations this year may have had an effect on the squads' ability to practice at full-speed. "Although I agree that certain regulations will keep cheerleading safer across the country, Baker said. "It was an interesting task to keep a team with such high levels of stunting warm in the weeks prior to nationals." These safety-based regulations administered by the NCAA had been made for cheerleaders performing on basketball courts, or like surfaces other than matted floors.
The nation's top teams put in a bid to the national championships, but only the best are chosen to make it to the semifinals. In the semifinal round, the top-15 teams advance to the finals. This year, the University of Central Florida captured first place, after last year's champion Kentucky, performed a routine that ended in a major fall. "Our skill level and aggressive style may have pushed the usual top teams to perform outside of their comfort zones, but our goal has always been to win without needing another team to make a mistake," Baker said. "We do all we can do and we do it with a lot of heart, I think that will show on ESPN."
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