The IU Crimson Cheerleaders are considered the gold standard in the world of all-girl collegiate cheerleading.
For the fifth time in the last six years, the Crimson team was awarded the Division 1-A All-Girl National Championship.
The honor came after IU finished in first place at the 2017 Universal Cheerleaders Association and Universal Dance Association College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship, which took place this past weekend in Orlando, Florida.
Senior Hayley Daniel has now won three national titles with the Crimson team and credited an improved routine with helping give IU an edge in this year’s national championship.
“We stepped out of our comfort zone a little this year,” Daniel said. “The speed of our routine was one of our biggest wow factors. Doing difficult skills at an extremely fast pace and making them look easy is super impressive.”
IU Cheerleading Program Coach Julie Horine stressed an increase in the entertainment vttalue of the team’s performance as a reason for its success.
“Our assistant head coach, Tony Nash, created the routine and really spent some time trying to be one step ahead,” Horine said. “The routine was much faster than in years past, and we had more structure components than the average team as well.”
After finishing in second place at the 2015 national championship the Crimson team has now brought home consecutive national titles for the first time since 2014.
The team has also finished in second place or better at every national championship since 2011.
“Consistency really is key,” Daniel said. “I believe our team bond is a crucial part in the success of the program.”
Despite having 34 athletes on the team’s roster, Horine can only take 20 of them to compete at the national championship. Therefore, Horine selected five athletes at each cheer team position — flyer, main base, side base and back — to make the trip to Orlando.
Because the national championship is the only competition the team competes in each year, Horine uses practices and the athletic events the team cheers at to determine who will earn a spot on the final roster.
“They are basically working all year to be considered for nationals,” Horine said. “Every practice is at play, as well as every game.”
Along with the co-ed Cream cheerleading team, the Crimson Cheerleaders appear at football games and volleyball matches.
The Crimson team primarily cheers at women’s basketball games and occasionally at men’s basketball games with the Cream team.
Freshman Crimson team member Kaylie Kindler chose to attend IU not only because of the recent success of the cheerleading program but also due to the gameday experiences it offered her.
“Coming into such a great program as a freshman was very exciting,” Kindler said. “Nothing really prepares you for the excitement that comes with college gamedays.”
Kindler was one of seven freshmen selected by Horine to the national championship roster.
“I have learned more and grown more as a cheerleader and person in the past few months from being a part of IU cheerleading than I have in my last 12 years of cheerleading,” Kindler said.
