Krystal Geeson
Staff Writer
The Bengal cheer team and dance team support Idaho State University sports all year. At the end of the year, they have the opportunity to compete for themselves.
Both teams travelled to Anaheim, Calif., on March 23 and 24 to participate in the United Spirit Association Collegiate Championship, a national competition.
The Bengal Dancers will also travel to Daytona Beach, Fla., from April 8 to 14 to compete in the National Dance Alliance Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship.
“[The cheerleaders] practice three days a week for three hours per day as well as the games. For the last two months they have been cheering almost every Thursday and Saturday for basketball,” said Misty Stucki, head coach of the ISU bengal cheer team.
The ISU cheer team was able to purchase cheer mats this year after a $7,000 donation from the ISU Credit Union. This allowed members to practice on a full-scale competition floor prior to heading to California.
“It’s hard work but at the end of the year, they get to do this for themselves and the sport they love,” said Stucki. “In the past couple of years, we have gone up against 14 to 15 teams.”
The Bengal dancers begin preparing for nationals in July of the prior year. They attend camp to get a placed bid to be able to compete in Florida.
“They practice nine hours a week, have morning workouts four days a week as well as perform at games,” said Kolissa Manchan, Head Coach of the ISU Bengal Dance Team.
“We learn our nationals routine in the fall, and we start working and perfecting it throughout the year. It’s a long process,” Manchan said.
Manchan said many of the team members have danced their whole lives.
“As much as they enjoy performing at the games, the competition is what fuels them and keeps the fire burning. It’s in their blood to compete, and to be able to go and compete at the end of season makes it all worth it,” said Manchan. “It brings the team together.”
According to the official Bengal Dancers Facebook page, the team placed in the top five in both dances they performed.
“We received fifth in jazz and third in hip hop,” the team wrote on its Facebook page.
“We are hungry for Daytona!” it continued.
The Bengal cheer team placed fifth in the competition.
The dancers and cheerleaders fundraise and work hard all year to prepare to compete.
All members of both teams were able to travel to Anaheim.
The teams performed their routines twice while in Anaheim, once during preliminaries and once during the final round.
