Douglas cheerleaders prepare for state competition

The team with the longest season out of any of the sports at Douglas High School will finally get a chance to compete Saturday.

After nearly eight months of work, the Douglas varsity cheerleading squad will test its mettle at the Silver State Spirit Championships at Carson High School, Saturday.

"The girls have been working really, really hard," Douglas coach Kerry Munk said. "It's an incredible group of girls with a lot of determination. We've been looking forward to this and we're just going into it with the attitude that we're going to have a lot of fun with this."

This will mark the first statewide cheer competition for Nevada large schools, but this year's Tiger cheerleaders got their first taste of competition as freshmen when Munk took the frosh squad to a competition in Las Vegas.

"We all knew at tryouts, this time last year, we would be going to state competition and we have been working for this day all season," Douglas cheer captain Jennifer Kimball said. "We have all been cheering together since freshman and some since Pop Warner. We have been waiting for this our whole cheer career and we are so excited."

Most of the large schools from all over the state are expected to compete Saturday. Douglas is scheduled for its full-squad performance at 2:40 p.m. A four-woman contingent of Tigers will compete in the stunt pod competition at 4:40 p.m.

The full-squad routine lasts two and a half minutes and Munk said the team is required to choreograph at least a minute and a half of it to music, with the remaining time spent on a specific cheer.

In the stunt pod competition, teams consist of two base athletes, a back spotter and a flyer. Teams get a minute and a half to show off their stunting ability.

"We've been working very hard on our routines for quite a while," Munk said. "It was really hard to put it all together and still be there for all the basketball games."

The competitions are scored with a possible 20 points in choreography, 25 points in execution and 15 points in showmanship.

"They look at all the little things, how you point your toes on toe-touches, whether your thumbs are sticking out," Munk said. "It's pretty detailed."

Munk said the team practices from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, refining their technique, working on their routines and spending a lot of time in conditioning.

"All of the cheerleaders have poured their heart and soul into the squad and our routine," Kimball said. "Our dedication to this school and our team is unmatched. Not only have we been supporting our school but our community as well, with the whole squad being part of Block D and other campus clubs."

Munk said response for the competition has been strong, with the event almost already sold out.

"Hopefully it will be a huge hit," Munk said. "I know a lot of the schools were ready for something like this.

"All the squads get to see each other throughout the different seasons. You keep tabs on each other, see what kind of stunts they're doing."

Admission to the day-long event is $7 for adults and $5 for students (student identification must be presented at the door). Doors open at 8 a.m.

-- Joey Crandall can be reached at jcrandall@recordcourier.com or at (775) 782-5121, ext. 212.