The Westfield High School cheerleading team finished 32nd out of 114 teams in its division that recently competed in the National High School Cheerleading Championship.
The National High School Cheerleading Championship was held Feb. 10-12 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. Westfield High School was among 1,125 teams across 33 states that participated in the event.
Teams competed in a traditional routine, game day and the newest division at the championship known as Game Day Live. The Game Day Live division debuted in 2020 and offers cheer teams the opportunity to perform with their school’s band members in a live performance setting and translate their traditions from the sidelines to the competition floor, according to Game Day Live.
During the competition, cheerleading teams are judged on their stunting and tumbling skills, crowd-leading ability and overall performance, the release said.
“The National High School Cheerleading Championship has been a spectacle to celebrate the power of school spirit, community, athleticism, and talent,” stated Bill Seely, president of Varsity Spirit. “We are thrilled to celebrate the 40th anniversary of airing the National High School Cheerleading Championship on ESPN. Providing a national championship platform to magnify what these remarkable athletes are doing and the good they have done on campuses across America, while giving them an opportunity to compete for a national title is core to our mission of elevating student experiences.”
The National High School Cheerleading Championship was the first of its kind in 1980 and was created to reward cheerleaders for their work on the sidelines and to create a venue in which they could be recognized for their talents and abilities, according to a news release.
Kayleigh Paschal, head coach of the Westfield High School cheerleading team, said she couldn’t have been prouder of how the team represented Westfield.
“We weren’t sure what to expect once we got down to Disney, but these girls gave it their all and are now ready to start working on goals for next year,” Paschal said.
For more information on the National High School Cheerleading Championship, visit Varsity.com. The championship will air on ESPN2 and ESPNU in the spring.