Local cheerleaders hold to Christian values

The Clovis Christian School cheerleaders recently danced, yelled and stunted their way to victory at the state sheer competition while remaining steadfast in their beliefs.

CCS cheer coach Ginny Boersma said the young women chose a mix of Christian pop music to accompany them during their dance sequence. Staying true to their religious upbringing while still being competitive was important, according to cheerleaders Tiffani Medeiros and Erica Boatman. The 17-year-old seniors said while other squads often dance suggestively to popular Rap music, their group kept their choreography “parent-friendly.”

Boatman, a bubbly blonde who has participated in cheerleading for three years, said the routine included age-appropriate, contemporary dance steps.

“We wanted our dance to be upbeat without being suggestive,” she said, “and we were able to do that.”

The tall, athletic Medeiros said her father’s opinion also played a part in choosing dance steps.

“My dad is superintendent here (Clovis Christian),” she said, “so I thought about that when I helped with the dance stuff.”

Karen Ware, mother to eighth-grade cheerleader Lauren Ware, said she was not concerned about the group’s routine for the competition.

“They only dance to Christian Pop music,” Ware said, “and they are a great group of girls.”

Cheerleaders in grades eight through 12 made up the 13 who traveled to The Pit in Albuquerque to compete in the annual two-day contest. According to the cheerleaders, the state championship win is the first of its kind for the school. Medeiros, who serves as captain of the squad, said the young women spent approximately 10 hours a week practicing their routine.

According to the cheerleaders, their winning routine included two dance sequences and a cheer interspersed with several formations and stunts.

Boatman, who has a younger sister on the squad, said everyone worked well together.

“We spent a lot of time together,” she said, “so we had to get along.

Medeiros and Boatman describe their achievement as surreal.

“My heart was beating like a thousand miles per hour,” Boatman said.

“There were a lot of tears when we won,” Medeiros said.

“It was so fun,” Lauren Ware said. “What an adrenline rush.”