Photo courtesy of TJC.
Breaking boundaries and defying odds, the TJC Apache Cheer squad clinches a historic back-to-back national cheer championship. TJC cheer brought home the gold in the Intermediate Large Coed Junior College Division for the second year in a row. The Apache cheer squad is not only building a dynasty, but also facing the pressure of sustaining their program for the future.
As a rookie, joining the squad this year coming off a national championship win can be intimidating. The standards were set high for this season with hopes of returning to the national championship in Daytona Florida.
“Coming onto a team that won Daytona last year was honestly, I’m not going to say scary, but it was very intimidating because you already have that feeling of OK, we need to go back-to-back,” Devin Allison, freshman cheerleader, said. “The vets as we call them, were very motivating. They expected a lot from us as rookies.”
Not only were their new members on the squad, but the Apache Cheer squad also welcomed a new assistant coach, Britney Wilson. The pressure was on when Wilson arrived at TJC the summer after the squad won its first national championship in the history of Apache Cheer.
“It did put a lot of pressure on me to come in as a new coach and just try to fulfill those standards that they had, and what head coach Tammy Rose had. I just wanted to come in and do my best and help them get back-to-back wins,” Wilson said.
The NCA College Nationals is one of the largest competitions for collegiate cheer and dance squads around the country. This competition is like the Super Bowl for college cheer and dance teams. Teams gather in Daytona Florida with hopes of running into the ocean after winning a national title. For the Apache cheer squad, this dream has now become a reality for many of the athletes.
The TJC Apache Cheer squad brings home the gold for the second year in a row. Photo by Grace Stone.
“It was honestly so surreal. It was a moment that I’ve always wanted to have that feeling of and want to know what it felt like to honestly run into the water. Most collegiate schools don’t compete at Daytona, but we have the honor and the privilege to compete at Daytona. So, it’s just amazing,” Allison said.
Although the TJC cheer squad has now won back-to-back national championships this doesn’t mean the work gets easier for them. Many of the veterans will now be transferring and it will be the rookies’ job to get the new members adjusted and get ready to compete again.
“It’s a lot of hard work. We put in a lot of hours, and some nights, some early mornings. It’s a real dedication. It’s kind of like a full-time job in a way because you have to put your time in and you have to be always prepared to work,” Wilson said.
With this year coming to a close, the TJC cheer squad will start the process of having tryouts and getting ready for cheer camp in the summer. The squad hopes to extend their winning streak and continue the legacy.
“I’m so glad that I got to be a part of it this year, and I just hope that we can keep that legacy and that tradition going and that we can bring home another win next year,” Wilson said.
For more information about the TJC cheer squad, click here.