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Terps Open New Season Saturday
Nov. 20, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland competitive cheer team gets back to the competition floor Saturday at 2:55 p.m. in Spirit Unlimited's All Capital Championship at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex. This marks the Terps' first performance since the NCA Nationals last April. The first competition of the year is always the inauguration of a new season and a new beginning. After weeks of preparation and months off of the competition mat, the members of the Maryland squad are ready to get back to their competitive environment. "Our team is at a really good point. I feel a lot more ready for our first competition than I have in any other year I've been here," senior co-captain Lauren Louis said. "Everyone is positive and focused. We are just cleaning things up instead of working on skills. We're excited to get on the floor and I feel like first competition sets the tone for the season. We're excited to see where we're at." Armed with experienced veterans and nine new competitors, the Terrapins are ready to go and are ahead of schedule. With their emerging sport status, the Terps did not start working on their routine until October, a process they started in September in years past. Typically, the Maryland team did not take the competition floor until early December. "We've never been so ready for the first competition," head coach Jarnell Bonds said. "We're going out earlier in the year and with one month less practice than usual." The coaching staff has designed a routine that showcases the individual skills of each student-athlete. "The opening of our routine is much more involved. It's exciting, there are lots of skills on display," Bonds said. "We have a very large pyramid this year so it involves everyone on the floor. It looks huge when it hits so we are excited to show that." Saturday's competition is the first as a Terrapin for the nine newcomers to the team. The Terps will be debuting their new uniforms Saturday as well.
"They are doing great," Louis said of the freshmen. "They are all working hard, they all fit right in and they're all doing well." After tomorrow's competition, the Terrapins will compete in Jamfest's Jumpin Jam competition in Upper Marlboro, Md. on Saturday, Dec. 5. Times will be announced closer to the date. |
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