Slaton High Cheer team competes at State contest

From Staff Reports

The Slaton High School team competed in the UIL Spirit Championships in Fort Worth Jan. 13.

The top 20 teams advance to the finals and Slaton just missed out of qualifying for that round.

Head Coach Sarah Rodriquez said the team practiced for several weeks a performance that consisted of band dance, crowd involved cheer and the fight song. “(It) must be under a three minute time frame,” she said. “They are scored on game day material, crowd leading, visual appeal and cheer skills.”

The team competed in the 3A Div. I category.

Though they lost, it was a learning experience for everyone who participated. “The squad worked really hard in preparing for this competition. They spent several late evenings practicing and came up during the holidays to practice,” said Rodriquez. “This is my first year to take a squad to UIL competition. It was a great learning experience and we are ready and excited to compete in the future.”