East Ridge Competition Cheer Squad Heads to Disney World

Cindy Lambert, head coach for the competition cheer squad, is getting her team ready for a trip to Florida to face off against other top teams from across the country.

They will compete at Disney World, and Lambert said there’s one rule before they hit the mat.

“No S and S,” Lambert said. “No sun or swim until they compete.”

In November, the East Ridge competition cheer team qualified to compete in the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s National High School Championship in Orlando, Fla. They will fly down on Thursday, compete Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 12-13), and head back to Woodbury on Tuesday.

The team is guaranteed only one performance; the competition on Day 1 will be at the Indiana Jones Theater.

“I think they will do well,” Lambert said. “They’ve done a great job at keeping their stunts up in the air. Our girls really dig deep for that.”

In just its second year fielding a varsity competition cheer squad, East Ridge has become one of the state’s top teams. And while Lambert said their goal is to reach the finals, it will be interesting to see how the Raptors fare against teams that have been together for several years.

“That’s where we lack some seasoning,” she said. “They’re not going to get better without seeing what the other teams can do.”

Last year, the East Ridge team won a smaller national competition in Minneapolis. But the event in Florida is the biggest competitive cheer contest in the nation.

“It’s the chance of a lifetime for a lot of these girls,” Lambert said. “They’re excited and they’re thankful to go. We’re very proud of them and thankful that we get to take them down there.”

The team raised money throughout the year to pay for the trip, Lambert said, starting with a big event in November.

In the days leading up to the trip, Lambert said the team was mostly making sure they have a fresh pair of tennis shoes—"no flip-flops"—because they can’t wear their competition shoes when they are out and about.

“They’ve been packed for a few days and now they’re repacked,” she said. “They’re all trying to find a cute pair of shoes.”