Charging up all the way through the competition with fire.
On Jan. 9, the Bullitt East Cheerleaders added to their trophy collection by earning the KHSAA State Title for the 13th time in a row, competing in the Medium All-Girl Division this year. The competition was tough, but execution was the make-or-break factor in deciding who would prevail in the end. Looking ahead, as the team continues to build on the momentum, their hunger for redemption of winning the national title is stronger.
“This being the 13th consecutive state title says a lot about our program.” head coach Brooke Poole said. “It tells a story of a legacy that was started 12 years ago and each member of our program, past or present, has believed in the same power of our program. Each athlete works extremely hard to continue that legacy and that is a huge part of what makes this streak even better.”
Poole emphasized that confidence was the defining factor in the team’s mindset heading into the competition, which in return was the result of consistency from start to end.
For senior base Bailey Basham, winning another state title was a mix of rewarding and emotional, as her final chapter with the team starts to wind down.
“I’m so proud of myself and this team, we’ve worked so hard to win this and I have never been on a team so focused on winning and getting business taken care of,” Basham said. “It’s also bittersweet because I’ll never have to feel the pressure of ‘losing the streak’ and I won’t get to go out on the mat with my best friends again.”
With the division being stacked with other good teams, there were some nerves in the air with Cooper High School as a tough challenge for the Chargers.
“We had big competition against Cooper this year, but we also knew if we just went out there and did our job, we could win it,” Basham said.
Originally, the state competition was scheduled for Dec. 12-13, but was forced to reschedule due to inclement weather. Because of this, once teams were able to hit the mat, everyone was excited to get back into action.
With another trophy added to the impressive list dating back several years, the team has now shifted their focus to the national competition, which will take place Feb. 7-10 in Orlando, FL.
“It reassures the team that what they have worked hard for can pay off. It gives us the extra push we need to go forth and tackle Nationals,” Poole said.
With this being the end of the road in regards to the season, heightened expectations are expected, but for Basham, it also brings motivation.
“We now have the expectation to perform like winners every practice now, which is good because our coaches are pushing us, but that pressure is stressful,” Basham said. “We are ready and excited to get to Florida and hopefully get the job done.”
As Bullitt East prepares for their chance at glory on the biggest stage in high school cheerleading, the program continues to build their legacy and story.
