Local cheerleading team brings national title home to Kauai

Cheerleading is one of the most grueling non-contact sports there is.

Everything in the sport must be immaculately choreographed, and like football, everyone must sync together, or the routines and competitions won’t work.

Most fans of spectator sports aren’t aware of the grueling nature of not only the routines, but the sacrifice cheerleaders at all levels endure to have successful performances.

Fortunately, the island of Kauai has a high-caliber cheerleading team representing us.

The Kekaha Titans aren’t just good, they are national championship good.

They won their fourth national championship in 20 years at the 2019 JV PW3 Pop Warner Cheer and Dance Championships held in Florida (1999, 2004, 2017, 2019).

For the last nine months, the Titans prepared for a chance to compete for a national title in their division.

Leading the way is Louisville, Kentucky native Jamie Hectus.

Hectus a cheerleading member of Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, and a member of the Power Cheer All-Star team on the mainland know the level of sacrifice it takes to capture a title.

Competing against over 90 teams, including off-island Hawaii teams, and mainland teams to even get to the national championships is beyond grueling, Hectus said.

“During every practice, these girls put in blood, sweat, tears,” Hectus said. “You have to do tumbling, stunts, you name it, and you have to put in the work and make the commitment. It isn’t just about showing up.”

It’s hard work being this good

Hectus is used to the caliber of intensity.

As a cheerleading coach, since she was 15-years-old, she has made cheerleading her primary focus.

“I’ve had to eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff,” Hectic said.

In spite of Hectus success as a coach, she credited her team for the win.

Practicing during a nine-month season is hard, and making the sacrifices to win even tougher.

“The hardest part as a coach is that you want to do that for them,” Hectus said. “Whether they have bad days or good days, it’s about trusting the process and putting in the work.

Buying in

For Titans’ cheerleader, Laulea Durant is working from August until December is par for the course.

She’s been in the game a minute, yet she can attest to the long hours it takes to not only compete but win on the elite level.

“Some practice you struggle, and you have a hard time,” Durant said. “You have to pick each other up, and go through the rest of practice.”

Durant, one of the Titans’ team captains, has to remind and be reminded to focus.

Being involved with this grueling sport isn’t easy.

Winning is even tougher.

“Our coach tells us we have to focus on something because our team gets distracted pretty easily,” Durant said. “We have to focus a lot on our competitions, and we take it pretty seriously.”

Developing continuity with each other is what is essential.

“I like our routine, and it wasn’t too hard,” Durant said.

During warm-ups, Durant, and her team gained the affirmation they needed.

“I think warm-ups it hit us all when we were doing the stunts and jumping around and having a good time that we could win it,” Durant recalled.

After winning the national title, Durant admits all the sacrifice her and her team put in to achieve it the crown was worth it.

“The hardest part about during the season is not having any time to do anything else,” Durant said. “After school, you have to go to practice, and during practice, our coaches have to pick ourselves up.”

Hectus attributes the team’s victory to their strength and athleticism.

“This is probably one of the strongest group of athletes I’ve ever coached in my entire life,” Hectus said. “If it weren’t for their hard work, they wouldn’t be here.”

Kauai is known for churning out successful athletes in surfing, volleyball, baseball, football, etc.

Some of the hardest working athletes receive the least recognition of the sports I mentioned, and it’s too bad because cheerleading is one of the most physically demanding games there is.