On Feb. 2, the Emmaus High School Cheerleaders showcased their competitive program for national competition at Lower Macungie Middle School.

The cheerleaders performed for their sponsors and supporters who helped them make the trip to national competition a reality.

The cheerleaders and their families left for the Philadelphia airport 5 a.m. Feb. 5 bound for the National Cheerleading Championship at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla.

The UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship began more than 40 years ago and is considered the end of the season for cheerleaders. According to Varsity Spirit, this specific event is recognized as the “most prestigious high school national championship in the country.” It is an opportunity for the cheerleading teams to come together and celebrate one another. Hundreds of teams from across the country are expected to compete.

The Hornet Cheerleaders secured a second trip to the national competition in Orlando by scoring high enough at the regional competition this year. Emmaus’ team is registered to compete in the Small Varsity All Girls Division and were scheduled to take the stage for preliminary competition Feb. 6. If they earned a top score, the team was to compete Feb. 7 and 8. Unfortunately, the competition did not go as planned so the rest of the weekend was spent enjoying the Disney parks.

The showcase at LMMS gave the cheerleaders the opportunity to perform for their sponsors and supporters. The 30-minute program offered chants, choreography, dance and stunts.

Head Coach Eileen Jeon spoke with the athletes about their scores from last year and how improving these scores could get them to the next stage of the competition this year. Jeon reviewed areas of weaknesses and encouraged the athletes to use their strengths and bring everything to the stage.

One cheer dad provided encouragement to the team after the performance and had the crowd cheering. It was an exciting moment for the athletes as they prepare for this national stage once more.

Cheerleader Kailey Keiser and her family prepared gift bags for each of the coaches and cheerleaders. The bags were tagged with inspirational words and included items the girls could use for their trip. Cheer Dad Nick Keiser brought the box of gift bags and assisted his daughter as she provided each member of the team with a bag of swag.

As the crowd cleared, the cheerleaders formed a circle around their senior cheerleaders. The seniors took time to walk the circle speaking with each of their fellow athletes and encouraging them. This was an emotional ending as this competitive performance will be the last time this team will perform together. There were long hugs and tears by both the athletes and their parents.

Cheer Mom Michelle Roberts shared that the 17 athletes “went from business to business asking for financial support. They did so much fundraising and raised $35,000 since September.” Roberts mentioned there was some apprehension about whether or not the amount needed could be raised in time for the trip. She described the contributions by their top sponsors Kuhnsville Hotel and Crest Financial Group as well as 23 additional contributing businesses as “a huge community effort.”

The money raised allows all 17 athletes to participate in the trip to the national competition. These young women are successful because they are focused, efficient and strong.

They set out their own mats to perform as well as roll them back up and place them in storage. They collect the signs and flags and fold them for storage in the cart. The cafeteria at LMMS was restored in less than five minutes. Their success is evident by how well they trust and support one another.

The display of emotion in their showcase including the energy and passion on the mats to the tears and hugs at the end, are evident of a tight-knit team bound for success in Orlando.

The Emmaus Cheerleading program thanks all of the individuals, businesses and sponsors for helping them to be able to compete on the national stage this year. The team held bingos, cheer clinics, babysitting and established a GoFundMe page to help defray the traveling costs and fees for the competition.

Members appreciate all those who contributed including the boosters and the cheer moms and dads and hope to earn a performance on all three days of the competition.