NEW OXFORD, Pa. — The New Oxford Cheerleading team can certainly bring it!
Whether it's under the lights on a Friday night or in their gym, they energize the Colonial spirit to life. Back from their recent trip to nationals, the OX is always ready to put on a show.
With every beat, the New Oxford cheer squad gets louder and louder. Another year in the books means another trip to nationals for the competitive cheer team.
For the 15th time in their history, the Colonials qualified for Universal Cheerleading Association High School Championships.
“Outsiders expect to see us go far and really it is us that hard work. Living up to that expectation, takes a lot,” head coach Caitlynne Edwards said.
While the goals are always high, they do not get in the way of a healthy team relationship.
“We are all one big family," said senior captain Zoe Browns with a smile. "We are all supporting each other and hyping each other on and off the mat.”
The pinnacle of high school cheerleading competitions, the UCA Nationals held at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Florida brings out the best competition from around the county.
According to Tehya Harris one of the New Oxford senior captains, it gets a little tense watching all the routines.
“Definitely nerve-racking when you are sitting there watching all of the different teams from different states and everywhere and you are sitting there watching them like 'wow' they are really good, really clean [and] they have a lot of good stunts.”
When the lights go on, New Oxford embraces the pressure.
"We are all locked in, we know what we are doing we have been doing it for months and I think we are all like ready to compete," says Gracie Brakefield who also serves as a captain.
One of over 1100 teams in the sunshine state for this event, New Oxford is sure to put a lot of time, energy, blood, sweat and tears in to make sure every clap, stunt and tumbling pass is perfect.
"You’re tired, it's two minutes and 30 seconds of full-on stunting, tumbling, jumping, cheering," said Harris. "You get exhausted, it's crazy how people don’t think it is a sport because it really is tough.”
Senior Emmanuel Cervantes-Lua, who also plays football, agrees.
“Me personally when I first came on to the squad I thought it would be easier, I was 100% wrong. It's back-to-back all motion and it's all difficult skills you just got to find where you can take a breath.”
No rest for the OX, though. Once crowned a national champion in 2015, this year there's a new challenge in a new division and game day co-ed. As to be expected, the Colonials were recognized with a 6th place finish at nationals
“[That] feeling of being at a big competition like that, or any competition, knowing you hit everything it's a feeling you can’t explain," said Harris. "It's like we just did that, we put so much work into this we worked our butts off for this."
The squad’s final time on the mat together in the practice gym to end the year still brings everyone to their feet with their energy and spirit.
Edwards knows that this squad had goals and nailed everyone.
“It’s a huge accomplishment coming into our season, their goal was to place top five at states and be on the finals mat at nationals and they have accomplished every goal they have set for themselves extremely proud of them as coaches."
To close out their careers no better way for the seniors to do it by signing their names on the mat, after all, they did leave a mark and carried on the road tradition for the OX.