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From New Mexico to New York, teams took to the mat for the National Deaf Cheer Competition.After months of perfecting their routines, 12 teams were ready to showcase their talent.”Make sure we hit all of our moves, all of our stunts. We have so much creativity,” Kaitlyn Johns, senior cheerleader at Iowa School for the Deaf, said.Despite competitive spirits, NDCC leaders say Saturday was about community.”It’s best that we’re together. We get fired up, your spirit is lifted,” Levi Mathis said. “It’s just so much better in person.” “It’s all about bringing the community together,” Jennifer Alka said.It was helping bring each cheerleader closer to their teammates, even in times of hardship. The Iowa Bobcats had to rework their routine weeks before competition after senior Kailani Mefy got injured and is now out for the season.”If anyone makes a mistake, we learn, we try our best, we don’t give up,” junior Amiya Wood said. “If one is missing or something happens, we still continue. We don’t give up.” These competitions also give the schools a chance to show off their sport.”I like doing the stunts, I like flying, that’s my favorite thing,” Mefy said. “I feel like I am flying in the air, you know?”Each athlete also took the time to support their competitors.”I want other schools for the deaf to have this experience too,” Wood said. “If they win, that’s great. We can show that they invest very much into it.””When the students are sitting here and the kids come out on the floor to perform, they really go all out for them,” Mathis said.Mathis and Alka said the most important part is giving the kids a place to shine.”They’re grown with their confidence and feeling like, ‘Yes, it’s about me!’ Their confidence grows so much every time they leave,” Alka said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
From New Mexico to New York, teams took to the mat for the National Deaf Cheer Competition.
After months of perfecting their routines, 12 teams were ready to showcase their talent.
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“Make sure we hit all of our moves, all of our stunts. We have so much creativity,” Kaitlyn Johns, senior cheerleader at Iowa School for the Deaf, said.
Despite competitive spirits, NDCC leaders say Saturday was about community.
“It’s best that we’re together. We get fired up, your spirit is lifted,” Levi Mathis said. “It’s just so much better in person.”
“It’s all about bringing the community together,” Jennifer Alka said.
It was helping bring each cheerleader closer to their teammates, even in times of hardship. The Iowa Bobcats had to rework their routine weeks before competition after senior Kailani Mefy got injured and is now out for the season.
“If anyone makes a mistake, we learn, we try our best, we don’t give up,” junior Amiya Wood said. “If one is missing or something happens, we still continue. We don’t give up.”
These competitions also give the schools a chance to show off their sport.
“I like doing the stunts, I like flying, that’s my favorite thing,” Mefy said. “I feel like I am flying in the air, you know?”
Each athlete also took the time to support their competitors.
“I want other schools for the deaf to have this experience too,” Wood said. “If they win, that’s great. We can show that they invest very much into it.”
“When the students are sitting here and the kids come out on the floor to perform, they really go all out for them,” Mathis said.
Mathis and Alka said the most important part is giving the kids a place to shine.
“They’re grown with their confidence and feeling like, ‘Yes, it’s about me!’ Their confidence grows so much every time they leave,” Alka said.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
