The San Fernando Valley team won a competition that was held at state level for the first time
After a year of preparation and practice, the Arleta Cheer team placed first at the California Interscholastic Federation’s State Championship on Feb. 1 scoring 76.9 for its winning routine that included jumps, stunts and dances.
The second place team from Paramount High School was right on Arleta’s heels, scoring 76.7 points.
“In cheerleading, your goal is always to have them go out and hit all their stunts and stay up in the air,” said Teresa Bezerra, who has been Arleta’s coach for 18 years. “They successfully executed that. I was really overjoyed.”
Arleta High School is the first winner in the CIF state-level title, because it was the first time a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) cheerleading competition was held at the state level. The division declared cheerleading an officially recognized sport in 2018.
The team’s victorious routine was two minutes and thirty seconds long, the typical performance length for their category known as “traditional cheer.” One part of their routine was “inversions,” a move where one teammate is held upside-down, then flipped to standing.
“I was really proud of us because we had worked really hard to get to that point,” said Ashly Penate, 17, who plays main base for the team. As the “main base” player, she stands on the ground on the left side of the stunt to help maintain the stability of the team members above her. “It was stressful because not everything is perfect,” she said.
“I was shocked,” said Milton Nendez, 16, who plays “back spot” for the team. Nendez is the only boy on the team. He said, “I didn’t think we were gonna win, but it’s a big competition. It’s all of California, so I was really proud of our team. I was shocked and I was really happy.”
The team of 15 students remained dedicated. If practice was canceled, they found other ways to choreograph and plan.
“We were trying to always do our best, so we always huddled up and talked,” Penate said. “We tried to calm our nerves and go (compete) and do our best.”
On Jan. 18, the team came in second in the CIF Los Angeles Section Cheer Championships. Some teammates were worried, but the group took it as a learning opportunity.
“Some people are sometimes a little doubtful of winning, or if their stunts will land,” said Saleen Lopez, 16, who is captain and “base” — meaning she holds up the top girl. “But we all have titles inside of us.”
After months of practicing, the team members are very close. Before every competition, they huddle together and encourage each other.
“Whatever happens, we’re all proud of each other and happy for each other. We just try to have fun and do good,” Nendez said. “We’re all just really proud of each other.”
CIF-held competitions are among the many contests in which Arleta Cheer competes.
The team will compete in the United Spirit Association Nationals on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 in Anaheim. Following their success at California Interscholastic Federation’s State Championship, the team is excited and hopeful as the next competition draws near.
“We did it once, we could do it again,” Lopez said.
