The Lake Orion cheerleading program is on solid ground.
Well, except for some of their stunt round. But that’s part of the routine.
Coach Nancy DeAvila enters her sixth season as the varsity head coach. She was selected as regional coach of the year last season.
The squad finished sixth at last year’s Division I state meet and would like to improve on that result this season. Their highest ever finish was fourth, achieved last in 2002.
Their season gets underway this Saturday in the Competitive Cheer Coaches Association of Michigan’s (CCCAM) Scholarship Invitational at Mount Pleasant High School.
‘Usually we don’t compete until after the winter break, but the last couple of years we’ve chosen to do this early season competition,? DeAvila said, adding that the team will have an opportunity to be judged five times in one day as a result.
‘We decided, as a team, that if we’re going to compete this early, we want to take advantage and get judged as many times as possible,? she added.
The 36-member team has 21 returnees, and includes nine seniors and five freshmen.
The senior captains, as elected by the team, are Hannah Knight, Jen Walters, Haley Willick and Tiffany Stubbs.
‘We have about the same number of returning seniors, but overall a little more returning experience,? DeAvila noted.
‘They’re extremely talented,? she added. ‘And I would say this team works harder than any other I’ve ever coached.?
She said the coaching staff decided to challenge the team with a harder schedule this year.
‘We felt they were a more talented group than any team we’ve had and I felt it was my responsibility, as a coach, to give them everything I could possibly give them to help them get to the next level.?
The team shared the OAA I league title with eventual state champion Rochester last year and would like to build on that result.
‘In our case, we have the best of the very best to push us,? she said. ‘There’s no program in the state that’s better than the Rochester program. To match their level of competitive effort is what everybody reaches to achieve. Our team definitely sets them as the standard.?
The Dragons will see Rochester many times throughout the season, including the two OAA I Jamborees in January and the league meet in early February.
Rochester edged LO in the two jamborees last season, while the Dragons took the league meet. It was one of two times Lake Orion beat Rochester last season.
‘I think you put stock into the fact that you beat them because now it’s an attainable goal,? DeAvila said. ‘On the other hand, you can’t rest on your laurels, because this is a different team.?
‘In some ways it’s a stronger team and in some ways they still have things to work out,? she added.
The Dragons will host regionals again this season, in addition to the annual Lake Orion Invitational, one of the biggest meets of the year, on Jan. 26.
‘For people who don’t know anything about competitive cheer, they couldn’t pick a better competition to come and watch,? DeAvila said.