On February 8, the PHS Cheer team 
competed in the 2026 UCA National High 
School Cheerleading Championship’s 
Division I Intermediate Finals at Disney 
World, winning fifth place in the nation. 
Although this was the first time the team 
qualified for and competed in nationals, 
each cheerleader adjusted both their 
positions and schedules to accommodate 
extra practices in preparation for the 
competition.

“Everybody was just willing to make 
change[s]. … I was moved from one of 
the back stunt groups in the pyramid 
to supporting the extension,” said cocaptain Nava Brito ’26. “Everybody 
just had to be very flexible and change what their 
positions were to help the team.”
To the team, this win was the result of their effort and 
persistence in preparation for the event. After finding out 
that they qualified for the Large Varsity Non Tumbling 
division of the National Cheerleading Championship, 
and therefore had their season extended, the team had to 
overcome many obstacles.

“A few of the 
girls weren’t able to 
come with us, so 
we had to switch 
around part of our 
routine and ... [we]
tried to build up our 
skills even stronger 
because we knew this 
competition would 
be a lot harder,” said 
co-captain Suki 
McNulty ’26.

Competing at 
nationals in Disney 
World came with a 
hefty price tag, and fundraising for the competition was 
an important part of the preparation for the nationals to 
ensure they would have enough money to cover travel 
expenses, housing, and the entry fee. However, they were 
able to raise enough money by collaborating with local 
businesses. 

“There was [a fundraiser] at Buffalo Wild Wings. There 
was one with Nomad Pizza. There [was] one with the Ivy,” 
said Brito. “A lot of parents got involved [who] we were 
all incredibly grateful for, and I know that a lot of them 
reached out to big companies and businesses as sponsors, 
which we wore on the back of our shirts.” 

After raising the required $29,000, the team shifted their 
focus back onto preparing for the competition, working 
until the routine became ingrained in their memories. 
In the high-pressure environment of the competition, 
each cheerleader had to have every move memorized, 
as any individual mistake could cost the whole group’s 
performance.

“[During our performance,] we have to trust that we 
know the routine. A lot of times it’s easy to get in your 
head when doing a routine like this because there are a lot 
of parts that are hard,” said Brito. “You could do it in your 
sleep. So don’t stress and ... [don’t] overthink.”

Throughout the entire experience of competing and 
participating in the national competition, a common 
belief amongst the team was that it provided closure to 
an unforgettable season powered by togetherness and 
teamwork.

“Getting to be there with the team as our kind of final 
goodbye,” said McNulty. “It was a great experience to end 
this season off, and just stay together with the seniors."

Photo: Veronica Foreman
The PHS Cheerleading team completes their routine at the national tournament.

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