Frisco ISD : FISD Cheerleaders Radiate At State Competition

Press release from Frisco Independent School District:

Jan 25, 2022

Cheerleaders across the state and Frisco ISD traveled to Fort Worth last week for the annual UIL Texas State Spirit Competition. After an intense competition and an outstanding display of spirit from all 11 Frisco ISD schools, the District snagged five well-earned Top 20 recognitions.

In the 5A Division II Championship, Memorial High School took 14th place out of 55 schools. Out of 67 high schools in the 5A Division I Championship, Independence finished 9th, Liberty High School 12th, Wakeland 19th and Centennial 20th.

The FISD cheerleaders’ embodiment of both athleticism and artistic ability was evident throughout the competition and this school year. 

Independence High School Varsity Cheer Coach Emily Daley is proud of the commitment of her cheerleaders to their campus and the art of the sport.

“Throughout the year, they cheer at football, volleyball and basketball games and often straight through the playoffs,” Daley said. “They also encourage school spirit by decorating the campus and both planning and performing at pep rallies.

“The UIL Spirit Competition is their moment to shine and literally take center stage. It’s the one time when there is an event where spectators are there to cheer for the cheerleaders.” 

During the competition, each team made their way to the mat for a three-minute performance that included three components: Crowd Leading, Fight Song and Band Chant. The Crowd Leading portion is unique because it required the cheerleaders to respond to a provided situation and to encourage the spectators to get involved through a cheer. An announcer provided a game scenario indicating an offense or defense situation and the cheerleaders had to show their definitive understanding of the situation with an appropriate crowd-leading response. The Fight Song and Band Chant highlighted school spirit in collaboration with the band via a prerecording.

After prelims, each team received critiques that they then used to prepare for the final competition, if they qualified. At finals, each team had the opportunity to perform again on stage for three minutes, where the judges provided a collective score.

“Their performance at finals was the best I have seen them all year and it brought tears of pride and joy to my eyes,” Daley said. “I am so proud of the Independence cheerleaders and all of the cheerleaders across the District who are continually goal-setting and are clearly driven to succeed.”

The sheer athleticism of the teams was evident in the ankle braces, athletic tape and the ability of the teams to perform stunts effortlessly. It was impressive to witness considering each team across the District faced their own unique struggles including athletic injuries and COVID-related absences. Notably, Emerson High School’s cheerleaders are building their brand new 4A program with only freshmen and sophomores their first year.

“Although there were a lot of practices, stress and anxiety leading to the competition, it was a great opportunity for team bonding,” Daley said. “No matter what, we are a team and we support each other!”

Access the full 2022 Spirit Competition results.

This press release was produced by Frisco Independent School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.