Trevecca cheer team kicks off season with an all-new roster

By Mia Agee

Assistant Editor

Hanna Brock, a Trevecca senior, joined the Trevecca cheerleading team last school year as a junior. This year, she is the only returning member of the team and serves as a manager and mentor for the mostly-freshman squad. 

With the new addition of the STUNT program, many cheerleaders wanted to try something new, so Lexi Laucirica, head coach of the team, was left with a completely fresh program – all but two of which are freshman.

This has been good for the team, according to Laucirica.

“It’s been just a solid refresh for our team culture and the way we operate things, which has definitely been a breath of fresh air to have just new energy and eagerness,” she said. 

Laucirica says that this year is a rebuilding year for the team. The girls are starting to pick up the pace and gain some good progress, she said. 

The team’s goal for the season is to place in the top 10 at nationals. This past season, they placed 11^th out of 25 teams. Their other goal is to have a full mat this season, which would mean 30 girls, according to Laucirica. 

“Since we’ve been to nationals, I think that we have a greater understanding of what’s needed,” said Brock. 

Nationals is held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. At the last nationals competition, it was the first time in Trevecca’s history that they had a team go to college nationals, according to Laucirica. 

To prepare for nationals, the cheer team practices almost every morning from 6 to 8 a.m. They also do team workouts every day and practice choreography together whenever they can, according to Hailey Amesbury, freshman cheerleader. They also have other competitions prior to nationals to prepare for.

“We do plan on attending an exhibition where it’s like a competition, but you’re not getting a place. You’re just getting feedback from the judges,” said Amesbury. 

Amesbury has been a cheerleader since she was 12, so being on a cheer team is her entire life, she said.

“In my mind, a cheerleader is nice, they’re strong, they’re independent. It’s, like, strengthening women,” Amesbury said. 

The Trevecca cheer team will compete in nationals January 12 through 14.