For the first time, Milligan’s cheer and dance team traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Aug. 9-11. During that weekend, Milligan’s spirit teams attended the NDA (National Dance Association) and NCA (National Cheer Association) weekend camps.
Kilie Morgan, a sophomore education major on the cheer team, said that before camp, she expected to learn new techniques and new ways to build and bond with her team this season.
“I felt a little nervous (to perform in front of judges). We perform in front of crowds at games all the time but never in front of judges,” Morgan said. “We had never done a camp like this before.”
The cheer team prepared stunt groups and polished a couple of cheers the team was already familiar with. Before camp, the dance team prepared a routine to perform. The purpose of this was to illustrate the team’s ability to perform a perfect routine in front of judges.
“To prepare for camp, I had to mentally prepare myself to be moving nonstop all day,” Morgan said. “As a team, because of Milligan’s cheer program, we were all prepared physically.”
Grayson Flemming, a junior nursing major on the dance team, was awarded NDA All-American. The team also walked away with three superior ribbons (the highest ribbon a team can earn from the NDA), a spirit stick, and a bid to nationals.
Flemming was nominated for her award by NDA staff. “Once they nominate you, you have to get up there and perform the team routine by yourself, along with a sequence of leaps and turns,” Flemming said.
Along with the routine the dance team prepared, they also learned a new dance with all the other teams there. After performing the routine, the NDA staff determined the recipients of the All-American award based on skill, execution and cohesiveness.
The dance team learned new sidelines and a new halftime routine as well as things that coordinated with what the cheer team learned.
“I learned new grip techniques for stunts, and my patience with myself and with my other teammates improved as well.” Morgan said.