We did it! Dillard High School cheerleaders State champions
Team was comprised of 29 girls;26 competed
By Torri P. Telfair
In our second year as coaches of the Dillard High School cheerleaders, we did it, we are State Champions.
Last year we ranked third in the State and that placement made us very hungry and eager to become champions. We had very hard practices and long hours trying to execute our routine.
We started the season off by winning all four of the local mini school district cheer competitions. With each victory and our mounting success, we became the one of top contenders to beat.
Searching for a way to encourage ourselves to reach our full potential we prayed at the beginning of each and every practice and ended with prayer every practice.
Coming into the Broward County Athletic Association Competition, we were favored to win, but we came up short when our All-Star cheerleader Asya Mills suffered a major in-jury. She tore ligaments and had a hairline fracture but kept going and completed the entire routine in severe pain. That’s the type of athletes we have on our team. She was recognized for her sportsmanship and strength.
The girls were eager to bounce back to the top.
Next was the big Regional Competition which was held at our own home in the Dillard Panthers’ gym.
It was very important for us to have a great performance, because we had to qualify to make it to Florida High School Athletic Association (State Competition).
Again we fell short, placing third and not making it to the wild card position.
The team fought through their fear of losing one flyer that impacted the entire team, but the girls and Coach Ernest changed the routine and we were a new team with so much Panther Pride….we are on our way to State, to win but we still needed to make it to the finals.
We hit the blue mat with our faith strong and our 3D mentality (Desire, Dedication and Determination). Yes! We placed to go on to the next and final round.
Once we made it to the finals, I saw a different team – a team that was decreeing and declaring that WE are State Champs, we even started looking and picking our State rings (walking by Faith)
SO, we hit the blue mat for the last time…….There was no stopping us! (See the score), we blew out our competition
We are State Champs!
We give special thanks for the opportunity to coach to our principal, Mrs. Casandra Robinson, and assistant principal, Mr. Kenneth Walton, and for our dynamic group of girls who gave us their best when we seemed lost.
Even though we will lose 10 seniors this year, we can never lose our faith and the Panther Pride that caused us to fight through adversities to become State Champions.
We are looking for sponsors who are willing to support us financially to go out of state to a UCA/NCA cheer camp. Contact Torri P. Telfair at Dillard High School, (754) 322-0800.
