LIHU‘E — Three Junior Midget division and two Junior Pee Wee division cheer squads earned eligibility to the National Pop Warner Dance and Cheer competition, Sunday at the Kaua‘i High School gym.
Performing before a capacity crowd at the Raiderdome, the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League suspended its football games for the weekend in support of its cheer program which offered a full plate to the enthusiastic crowd.
Troy Lazaro, a former cheerleader and cheerleader advisor, masterfully worked the microphone, getting the audience participating in “We Got Spirit, How About You” and wave routines with beach balls being batted about the gym.
Lazaro said thanks to the efforts of Yvonne Hosaka, the Wescon Region cheer director, Kaua‘i is one of the rare sites where winners do not have to participate in multi-step competitions to advance to the Pop Warner National Dance and Cheer Competition in Orlando, Fla.
“All of our cheer people do a great job,” said Tasha Daligcon, the KPWFL cheer coordinator. “They are all winners.”
Interspersed between the competitive numbers, the audience was treated to exhibition routines, all incorporating the same criteria as the competing squads, from the Tiny Mites as well as from all three of the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation high school cheer squads, the appearance offering a preview of the KIF cheer competition scheduled for November.
“All Pop Warner cheerleaders have the motivation to become high school cheerleaders,” Lazaro said, drawing laughter for his announcement of the Makaweli Cows being one of the qualifiers.
The Kekaha Titans earned two of the five qualifying spots, one going to its JPW division squad with the sole male cheerleader in the league and the other going to the Junior Midget Intermediate Small division.
The Koloa Redskins Junior Midget Novice Small group earned another spot with its immaculate, crisp performance, the difference between novice and intermediate being almost unperceivable.
The Kapa‘a Eagles Junior Midget Intermediate Small group copped one of the trophies with its powerful solid performance and the Lihu‘e Patriots JPW Intermediate Medium division pepsters masterfully executed its routine which included a unique back-walking phase.
“You’re going to have buy a lot of chicken and chili,” Lazaro said, noting the qualifying groups now need to raise funds for the cross-country trip to Disney World in Florida. “But all previous cheer groups who have gone to the Nationals have come home winners, some reaching as high as national champions of their age divisions.”
The Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championships, featuring more than 300 cheer and dance squads competing over a five-day event, will take place at the HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from Dec. 3 through 10 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
