It was about this time two years ago, after Bridgeport won the Class AA state cheerleading championship, I wrote about the unfair stigma those participating often hear – and validated by Coach Natalie Hathaway.

 

The issue at hand was whether cheerleading was a sport, even though it was considered as such by the WVSSAC. After winning the Class AAA state title last weekend, I am not going to delve back into that argument.

 

If you think it is a sport, which it is, great. If not, I cannot convince you and will no longer try.

 

With that out of the way, the real reason for this blog. One is undisputable fact. The other is yet another opinion that I find will be hard to refute.

 

First, on the fact front. After reviewing records on the WVSSAC Web site going back to the early 1900s, something happened at the Cam Henderson Center on the campus of Marshall University that has never happened in the history of Harrison County sports.

 

Understand, most of those early records show what I am about to tell you happened was impossible due to most sports recognized at that time were only competing in one general classification. However, for decades now most sports have three or two classifications.

 

And during that time frame, not one time has Harrison County had two state champions in the same year. That happened Saturday in Huntington.

 

Bridgeport and Coach Natalie Hathaway’s squad won the Class AAA title, which was its second in the big school division and sixth overall. Robert C. Byrd, who recently won six-straight titles, took home its seventh title under Coach Drew Banko.

 

“That is not only awesome, but also kind of unbelievable to think that’s never happened,” said Hathaway. “To share it with a program where the coaches are friends, and the kids are friends as well makes it even nicer. We know the RCB kids stayed and watched us after they won a title, and we want them to know it is appreciated. Certainly, knowing we share a first with them is a nice thing to know.”

 

As for the other point, I have always talked about the complexities and dedication of student-athletes to their respective sports. Let’s add something that makes cheerleading unique – and in my eyes perhaps the most stressful – of all the sports.

 

Although there are a few sanctioned competitions during the year, including the Big 10 Conference championship event, cheerleading’s season for most schools consist of one event. For teams like Bridgeport and 23 others that qualified for the state event in Class AAA, AA, and A, it comes down to two events.

 

To qualify for the state championship, you have to be either first or second in your regional to punch your ticket. Once at the state competition, the reward for second place is a runner-up finish, which is nothing shabby.

 

Here is what makes it unique. For the most part, Bridgeport’s state championship fostered by likely thousands of hours of practice, performances at games, and offseason conditioning and camps, was determined by less than seven minutes.

 

In reality it is much closer to six minutes.

 

At the regional level, the cheerleaders are judged on a technical cheer that has to last less than 40 seconds. That is followed by a routine filled with stunts and athleticism as well as a lot of music that can be no longer than 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

 

Basically, you have six minutes to earn a state title. A few flaws, a tumble, touching the ground, whatever you can think of, can end it in the blink of an eye. Oh, and if things are going wrong, you cannot call a timeout.

 

“I have wanted to call timeout many times,” said Hathaway. “The thing is, once they’re out on the floor, our job as coaches is over. You have to have the trust that everything they have prepared for up to that point is going to pay off. To see the calm reactions let me know they were confident (last weekend) because if you screw up, there is no redo and there is no time to draw up something different.”

 

That, my friends, is pressure that is unique and unmatched in the other sports. And it is why, in MY opinion, the competitions are the highest stressed sports events of all.

 

Editor's Note: With the exception of the second photo, all of the photos from the state cheerleading championship are courtesy of Rylan Nemesh. Connect-Birdgeport would like to thank him for the use of the photos. As for the second photo, BHS Coach Natalie Hathaway huges Robert C. Byrd Coach Drew Banko following the Eagles' capturing their seventh Class AA state title.