The CSUSM’s Cheer and Dance Teams attended the National Cheerleading Competition (UCA) and the National Dance Competition (UDA). The competition was held

during the weekend of Jan. 12 to 14 in Orlando, Florida. In a recent email interview with CSUSM’s Dance Team Coordinator, Michelle Fekete and cheerleader, Julio De Leon wrote about their experiences at Nationals.  

“This was the second year for the dance team to compete at Nationals. However, it was the first time as a whole spirit program with both cheer and dance to attend Nationals in Florida, ” said Michelle Fekete.

On the dance team there are 13 athletes that practice four to eight hours a day.

A struggle that occurred prior to the nationals competition De Leon of Cheer wrote, “we started the team with 28 members that made the 2017-18 team… later reduced to 16 [1 alternate in case of an emergency] on the floor.”

Despite the struggles prior to the competition, both teams did not let their struggles get to them as the coaches and captain of the teams “pumped [them] up, fuel their energy and get them ready to leave it all on the floor” said Fekete.

The CSUSM Dance Team Coordinator, Fekete, via email said there were more than 200 college’s from all around the country in attendance at Nationals. Categories are split by school size, Dance Teams’ category was “Open Dance” and there were 29 schools competing from community colleges to large Universities.

As for Cheer,  they competed in the “Small Co-ed” division, there were only 12 teams. Out of the 12 teams, CSUSM placed eighth.

De Leon and Fekete both said their future goals for both cheer and dance is to “to move up in ranks at Nationals and expand their teams.”