“Rah rah rah!”

Everyone sees the JHS cheerleaders at pep rallies and sporting events, but this year, students could have seen them compete at UIL, where they showcased their spirit and dedication to representing their school.

Cheer coach Rebecca Couey has prepared her cheerleaders for the competition since before football season had ended. They’ve been practicing extensively for the competition, even attending Alpha Owls during the summer. 

“We have after school practice, extra Saturday practices, and we have brought in clinicians and choreographers to help us get ready,” Couey said. “We also work hard during summers and off season to become better athletes.”

Senior Gracie Nichols, who’s been a Joshua cheerleader since middle school, competed at the contest, where Joshua scored among the top 20 schools in the state for the Band Chant section.

“[Last year] We competed at two competitions and had the most fun,” Nichols said.

The competition consisted of a routine divided into: Band Chant, Crowd Leading, and Fight Song Performance.

“Game Day style competition is totally new to our cheerleaders and they did a fabulous job,” Couey said. 

Teamwork and comradery are very important to the team, and Nichols is no different.

“The last word that was on my mind [before competing] was proud, because having this be my last year as a cheerleader I was so blessed to have such an amazing team to be able to compete with who had put so much time and effort into this.”

This will certainly not be the last time the JHS cheerleaders compete at a UIL competition. Couey knows her team’s potential.

“Over 150 5A schools competed this year and we were honored to be there,” Couey said. “The JHS Cheerleaders are excited to return next year and have set a goal of advancing to state finals.”