By Jacob Chang

[email protected]

On March 15, MHS’ varsity and JV cheer teams participated in the Aloha Spirit Championships held at the University of Southern California (USC). Both teams won their respective division titles.

“I was so excited to go (to California) first of all, and to compete with my teammates because we were working so hard for this so it was super fun to be able to go there and be able to compete with everyone else and seeing that we got championship divisions,” said Freshman Jazmin Harada. Senior Rebecca Sandvig added, “It was great. You know we worked so hard just to get there and it’s a great feeling just to know that you were able to accomplish what you worked for.”

Only a week before they were scheduled to leave, MHS cheerleaders found out that their competition had been cancelled due to the lack of participants, prompting them to find and register into the Aloha Spirit Championships. “It was pretty hard because you had all these high expectations for this one competition that you’re mentally preparing yourself to be in that competition and then it changes and you have to get used to what you’re about to get yourself into,” said Sandvig.

With teams competing from all over the United States from both the high school and all-star divisions, the Trojan cheerleaders were a little out of their comfort zone competing at such a high level. “The teams actually had some skill, they were up there and they were all on the same level. So basically, it’s all in the hands of the judges and what the judges saw,” said Head Coach Renesha Kierstedt.

At the competition, the Trojans put out their best effort and represented Hawaii well. “ I liked that it had the Aloha factor to it. It gave us the chance to show that we’re from Hawaii and wear our flowers in our ears throughout the competition to represent that we’re from Hawaii and it was just fun to have that Hawaiian theme, so it was a fun competition to be at,” said Assistant Coach Allysen Kikumoto, “And the fact that we were at USC, I told the girls that this is the home of the Trojans right? And that this is our house.”

With this competition marking the ending to their season, the team’s wins would not have been possible without the progress made over the course of the year. “They surpassed all their goals, truthfully. And I believe that’s because of what they had as an individuals and teamwork they were able to just totally beat their goals and hit their goals that truthfully, not to be mean, we didn’t think could happen and they put their minds to it and they did do it,” said Kierstedt. Sandvig added, “Being a part of (this) big family is such a welcoming experience and I can’t think of spending my high school years (any) other way.”

With this year’s cheer season now over, the MHS cheer team is already preparing for next year’s season by holding tryouts and recruiting new members.