The Carleton Ravens cheer team competed in the Big East Blast competition earlier this month at Ottawa’s EY Centre.
Despite funding challenges and last-minute injuries, they took first place in the level six co-ed division.
“Overall, it was a good competition to go to,” said team captain Taylor Sinclair. “There were a lot of other teams competing, whether they were high school teams or all-star teams . . . everyone brought out a great performance. It was fun to watch.”
Sinclair said the team put in extra work to prepare for the tournament.
“The work ethic and practice improved. When we went to our last competition, it didn’t go necessarily as we planned, so the mentality was that we gotta work harder and put out a good show,” Sinclair said.
The team has faced many challenges this season, which started with tryouts in September and extends until a final competition in March.
Before the Big East Blast, one member of the cheer team sustained a concussion. The team was forced to re-work their routine with only days left before the competition.
“We’re pretty adaptable,” said Michael MacKinnon, a member of the team. “It’s not like a sports team can substitute . . . but we made do with what we had, and it turned out really well.”
Sinclair said the cheer team was also demoted from a sports team to a competitive club. As a result, they lost their funding from the university.
Despite the challenges, the expanded team is excelling this season. There are 36 members on the team, an increase from last year, including four male athletes.
“It’s a good improvement for us, strength-wise,” MacKinnon said. “It gives stunts a little more strength and a little more power.”
There are also considerably more rookie athletes on the team, although MacKinnon said that is hardly a disadvantage.
Many members of the team have past cheer experience, including at the all-star level.
The team has a handful of competitions left this year, including one in Syracuse, N.Y. Sinclair said the competition in the United States would be “bigger and better” because of the sport’s increased popularity in the country.
Until then, Sinclair said the team was pleased with their success at the Big East Blast. Family members, friends, and former teammates attended the event, which Sinclair said made the competition all the more special.
MacKinnon said the highlight of the Big East Blast was seeing the team’s hard work pay off.
“You know, when the music ends and you hold your pose for a couple seconds–just the feeling of satisfaction,” MacKinnon said.
