The GHSA Game Day Cheerleading season will come to an end at the Columbus Civic Center as teams from across the state try to secure a title Wednesday and Thursday in Columbus.
The competition requires demanding routines which teams have worked on all season to simulate the ‘game day scenarios’ presented at football or basketball games. There are several segments upon which the teams will be judged – band chant, crowd leading and fight song.
The highest-scoring teams in those segments are the finalists and will compete in an additional three-minute routine to determine the champions. On Wednesday, Classes 4A and 5A will compete from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and then Classes 2A and 3A will compete from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. On Thursday, Classes 6A and 1A will take to the stage from 9 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. to determine the champions.
A SHIFTING LANDSCAPE
The classifications have changed, but the competition level remains the same. Last season, there were mixed classes and those champions returning to defend their titles are Vidalia (1A-2A), Cedartown (3A-4A), South Effingham (5A-6A), and Carrollton (7A). Vidalia enters the championships as a three-time defending champion, while South Effingham enters as a two-time defending champ. Mary Persons won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 in Class 3A-4A, Lee County won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022 in Class 5A-6A and North Gwinnett won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022 in Class 7A.
JUDGEMENT DAY
In the band chant portion of the event, teams will be judged on six different disciplines and can amass a total of 50 points for a perfect score. Teams are allowed and will be judged on the use of game day material, props relevant to a game day environment, which is worth 10 points. Teams will be judged upon their crowd effectiveness, evoking energy and a connection to the crowd, which is worth 10 points. Crowd leading tools such as signs, motions, poms, megaphones and flags will be judged and are worth up to 10 points. The team’s motion technique is worth 10 points, focusing on technique, sharpness of execution and placement. Visual appeal and synchronization are each worth five points and focus on level changes, ripples and spacing as well as uniformity of motion throughout the routine.
There are 90 points up for grabs from the crowd leading judge with each discipline – game day material, crowd effectiveness, crowd leading tools, crowd appeal, motion technique, proper use of skills, execution of skills, synchronization and overall impression – worth 10 points.
The fight song portion of judging allows for a possible 70 points from game day material, crowd effectiveness, crowd leading tools, motion technique, proper use of skills, execution of skills, visual appeal and synchronization.
LET’S GO OUR TEAM, LET’S GO
“Teams can bring the mascot and just do anything that will make you want to cheer for these teams,” said GHSA Associate Director Penny Mitchell.
During each team’s allotted time during the finals, they will be presented with situational challenges to determine how they will respond in the performance. For example, teams will be told their respective ‘football team’ is in a defensive situation and they will have to perform a defensive chant. Or that their ‘team’ is driving on offense and the squad will have to produce an offensive chant.
“Once in the finals, the situation cheer is added,” said Mitchell. “Like ‘The Bulldogs need to stop the Knights on 4th-and-goal. And the team will have to know to do a defensive cheer. Or there will be an offensive situation and the team will have to respond accordingly.”
The GHSA awarded a state championship for the ‘dance’ portion of the event but due to lack of participation, it was removed last season following Mill Creek’s back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.
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