The Pratt Community College cheerleading squad is still relishing in its trip to Daytona Beach, Florida, where the Beavers placed second overall in the Intermediate Small Coed Open Division. With a total performance score of 92.31, the team, led by head coach Shae Napier, brought home the most prestigious piece of hardware in program history.
Napier further discussed her team's unprecedented success, the build-up to the competition, and how it affects the program going forward:
This is the most prestigious competition finish in the history of the Beavers cheer program. How would you describe the process to getting to this point and the enjoyment of seeing it all come together?
-I would describe the process as consistent hard work and dedication to choosing to show up and show out every day whether that be my athletes or myself as a coach. Attention to every minor detail. Relentless determination and drive through the physical and mental pain, even when the goal seems out of reach. Pushing through the tough days. It takes a special group to operate at this level all season and this team had its rough moments but put in the work even when they didn't feel like it and it paid off. They are one of the few teams that get to experience what it's like to place on the national stage. The feeling is indescribable, and the enjoyment is incomparable.
The Beavers posted a performance score of 92.31 and placed second in their division. All in all, what did you see from your team during the preliminary and final performances and how well executed was the routine?
-On Day One this team "hit zero" which means they executed the routine with no mistakes, which is huge in cheerleading when the difference between first and second place can come down to hundredths of a point. The smallest mistake can cost you a title. What I saw from my team during preliminary and final performances was exactly what every coach wants to see from their team. Stepping up to their fullest potential, overcoming whatever is thrown at them from beginning to end and pulling off that perfect routine. Trust me it was not easy and this group had one heck of a first year at nationals, but no one would have ever known with how well they pulled off both prelims and finals routines. They walked away from that stage executing each routine in ways better than their last performance before them.
Seeing as how the judges are looking for particular things throughout a routine, what kind of things were taught or installed in order to score as high as the Beavers did?
-The judges look for a factor of different things that range from difficulty to execution, technique to overall effect and even choreography. As you can imagine some of these areas are more straight forward, black and white, while others are more subjective, and you have to do everything in your power to sell that routine to ensure there is no room for them not to score you high in every category on the scoresheet. I think overall the biggest thing that was taught or installed in order to score as high as we did was the attitude of not preforming well is not an option. Whether that meant drilling details of technique on top of difficultly scores to ensure we squeezed out every possible point this team was capable of this year to team morale and mat talking each and every athlete from beginning to end to keep the energy and execution high.
What was the morale of your team going into competition?
-The morale of this team was rich, well rounded and hungry.
What was the team's reaction like to finding out the Beavers had placed so high?
-We were actually walking to lunch when I received their scoresheets via email and placement from day one prelims. I remember reading the email and seeing the list and right there 2nd on the list to very prestigious team that has a rich winning history for over a decade and honestly had to do a double take. I knew we would do well at Nationals. I had prepared this team for everything and they had put in the work, but after going against DII teams I wasn't sure exactly what to expect as far as placement goes and then I saw us up there in the top three. The kids went wild, and you could just see their faces light up and that look of we got this. We can do this, and we are ready to represent Pratt again on that National stage for finals tomorrow. On finals, awards were all virtual this year because of covid protocols set in place by NCA. So we picked a spot on the beach in uniform and watched the live stream. They started at the bottom, #9 and worked their way up. They called 4th and you could just feel the tension, the excitement, the uneasy feeling of what's next. Then they called #3 and it was everything the team could do to keep from bursting out in excitement because that that point, they knew they had just placed top two in the nation. They called runner up and as you can imagine there was an outburst of excitement, screaming, crying etc. and in the midst of it all this amazing group stopped in the middle of their excitement and circled up around me as a team and said, "you did it coach". Very proud coach moment watching the first team you ever take to NCA Nationals break top three and place second.
Considering where the program was when you took over, are you surprised by the rapid success the program has had or is this what you envisioned when you accepted the job?
-A part of me will always remain somewhat surprised. It is one of those things that still doesn't feel real even after it happens. So many teams spend so many years pushing to get to this point, but myself and the athletes I've led to this point have put in the work and relentless dedication and hours to create a nationally competitive program and team and at the end of the day I've expected nothing less than rapid growth and success.
In what ways do you think Pratt's newfound national standing in the cheer world will boost the program going forward?
-They ways are innumerable. Overall though I think it fuels the fire of the legacy that has been started here and makes it burn even brighter not just for future recruits and members to see, but for the institution, community and everyone that brushes elbows with this program. It has seeded that deep desire for more in our returning athletes that are already hungry to go back and achieve even more next year.