As the fall sports season reaches the middle of the season, the competition cheer team rolls up their sleeves and jumps into competitions against other schools. Freshman Gretel Lemus Cardenas loves the energy that competition cheer brings.

“Competition cheer means a lot because you compete against people and the energy hitting your stunts, your jumps, your tumbles, it’s just so mystical and magical,” Lemus said. 

Sophomore Rhett Curtis also enjoys the environment of competition cheer. 

“I think it’s fun, the energy and everything and also the competitiveness,” Curtis said. 

Lemus Cardenas feels that there are many challenges that this sport brings, but hitting the stunts and being on time are definitely some of the hardest ones for her. Freshman Mirna Cruz Umana thinks that precision is also a challenge for competition cheer. 

“Everything about it is challenging because all of it has to be perfect,”  Cruz Umana said. 

Not only do these athletes think that the routines are difficult to execute, there are added mental struggles too. 

“The mental pressure [is a challenge] because you have everybody watching you, and if you fail, you can’t say anything about it,” Curtis said.

Cruz Umana has seen how routines and practices take a lot of focus and patience from the group. 

“If somebody is mad, it affects the whole team. We’ve been trying to work to not be mad,” Cardenas says.

Cardenas, Cruz Umana, and Curtis all hope to stay on the HHS competition cheer team for the rest of their high school careers because of the joy it has brought them. 

“I think it does make a positive impact because you connect with more people there and you make more friends.” Cruz Umana says.