As the season winds down, Taylor cheer is poised to round off a record-breaking year at the Crossroads League Championships on March 6 and 7.
After six years as a varsity collegiate sport at Taylor, the squad’s grit is beginning to show up in tangible ways.
Head coach Hannah Kirby said the team’s love and loyalty to one another has allowed them to make notable progress.
“We have been building this the right way from day one,” she said. “Now they’re getting to see the reward of that resilience.”
The reward Kirby speaks of is the team’s commanding win at the Columbia Classic in St. Louis. Thanks to a 93.47 score, the Trojans blew past Missouri Valley (86.82) and Indiana Wesleyan (83.20) to secure their first event title of the year and fifth in program history.
Their performance marked just the second time in program history the purple and gray has broken 90 points.
The No. 8 Trojans traveled to St. Louis with a chip on their shoulder: No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan has consistently denied Taylor the top spot, fueling the Trojans.
The Wildcats have won four of the six invitationals the rivals have both attended. Of the four, the Trojans were only ever bested by the Wildcats.
“We’ve always had a rivalry with IWU,” Owen Gerig, a sophomore back spot and tumbler, said. “This is the only name that’s competed with us, which is kind of cool. The two teams are right next to each other in our conference, and wherever we go, we’re always one and two.”
Kirby emphasized the importance of focusing on their own growth rather than the other teams’. She said the team is loyal to their long-term goals. They have seen steady, intentional growth because of that.
“In cheer, you really have to compete against yourself,” she said. “Every routine is about improving on the last one. Focusing on other teams does not help us execute better.”
Over the course of the past year, the team has faced many hardships, with several members leaving the program to pursue other opportunities. Kirby said this season was far from glamorous and felt as if they were constantly facing adversity.
“But they kept showing up,” she said. “They trusted the process, honored the commitment we made in August, and stayed steady. Now they’re getting to see the reward of that resilience.”
Gerig echoed Kirby, saying overcoming these hardships allowed those who remained to grow stronger as a unit and foster deeper chemistry.
Setting the record at the Columbia Classic evoked a lot of emotions – many tears and big smiles, Gerig said. He explained that after completing the routine, they knew they had hit zero, meaning their performance had zero deductions. That alone was worth celebrating.
However, he noted that several factors influence the overall score – hitting zero doesn’t always guarantee first place. In one performance, the team hit zero but received a score of 82.
Therefore, it was certainly a shock when the judges revealed a mark of 93.47 to give the Trojans the win.
No. 1 St. Ambrose averages 93.24 points, while Indiana Wesleyan holds a program record of 93.4. The Trojans’ result exceeded these benchmark scores.
Of course, being ranked top 10 in a field of over 75 teams in the NAIA holds value. Gerig said the team has high expectations; however, he emphasized a significant caveat.
“We’re going at it and trying to wow the judges… and just do our best,” he said.
The team has experienced many lows but also record highs. Through it all, their dedication has proven fruitful.
With the CL Championships around the corner, they aim to stick the landing on a record-breaking season.
