Members of the Twin Valley High School (TVHS) cheerleading squad earned a bid to compete at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) National High School Cheerleading Championship held Feb. 7 to 10 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

This is the second year that the squad qualified to take part in the national event. "Unfortunately, they did not advance to finals, but they did amazing and performed their routine the best they ever have," said Nichole Wanner, president of the newly formed Twin Valley Cheerleading Parents Club.

A video of the girls' performance at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Feb. 8 can be found by searching for "Twin Valley Cheerleading" on Facebook. The routine is highlighted by the girls' shouts of "Go Raiders," in reference to the TVHS mascot, performed to the song "Celebration." The girls utilized props, including signs, pom-poms and cheer megaphones.

Last year, the girls from Twin Valley competed in the Small Game Day Non-Tumble Division. Game Day is a traditional event that represents what cheerleaders do on the sidelines of games to encourage the crowd. This year, the squad was part of the tumbling division. "They had to have at least one or two cheerleaders that tumble, and they have two," Wanner noted.

To qualify for nationals, the team, led by coaches Jess Hoffman and Jamie Payne, participated in the UCA Regionals on Dec. 15, 2024, held at the Santander Arena in Reading. "You have to get a certain score to get a bid for nationals," said Wanner. The team also won the Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association (BCIAA) competition held on Dec. 7, 2024, at Exeter High School.

To celebrate the accomplishment of qualifying for nationals, the girls were given a formal sendoff to nationals during a Twin Valley Cheer Showcase held on Feb. 1 in the TVHS gym. The event also included performances by the Twin Valley Middle School cheerleading squad and performers from the Twin Valley 8U and 10U cheer squads.

The event was presented by the Parents Club, which formed in the spring of last year. According to its Facebook page, the group's goal is "to provide support and financial resources for the Twin Valley cheerleading program." The club sponsors fundraisers; sells spirit wear; and acts as a liaison between the cheerleading teams, parents, the school administration and the community.

"(The showcase) was an opportunity for them to show (their routine) to their friends and families that were not going to nationals with us," said Wanner. "The two youth competition teams performed and then the middle school competition team. At the end, the high school cheerleaders performed the routine (they were going to do) in Disney."

The event also featured some fun competitions that involved the cheerleaders' parents, including a Pom Mom Challenge, where mothers competed to capture pom-poms, and a Daddy Jump Off, where fathers had an opportunity to try various cheerleading jumps.

The girls on the squad represent all TVHS grade levels, nine to 12, and they have an intense practice schedule. "They practice five days a week after school and on weekends before a competition," Wanner said. "To be on the competition team, they are here year-round. They are required to cheer for football and basketball."

The girls also had to fundraise in order to finance the cost of travel, accommodations and entry fees needed to compete at nationals. Fundraisers included a spaghetti dinner, a gift card drawing and a gift basket drawing. "(The Parents Club) did some fundraising, so we were able to offset the cost, but there are some out-of-pocket (costs) for parents," Wanner noted.

Information about the Parents Club can be found on Facebook by searching for "Twin Valley Cheerleading Parents Club."