Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal
With a new coach and only four veteran members, Carson High School's cheerleading team has struggled to find its footing.
But coach Marlo Corletto said the squad will be ready for the Silver State Spirit Competition at Carson High School on Saturday.
"We're ready and we're excited," Corletto said. "We're going to be right up there with the other 4A schools."
The state competition, which began in 2006, hosts schools from throughout Nevada competing in dance and cheerleading. There are five cheer and two dance categories.
Organizer Terrie McNutt said the fast pace of the tournament is nothing new for the competitors.
"This is what they're used to," she said. "Cheerleaders do this 12 months out of the year. This is what they do every game, they're just doing it at a competition."
The tournament alternates from year to year from north Nevada to south Nevada. McNutt said the northern tournament is always held at Carson High School because it has the largest gym.
Freshman Hayley Canfield, 14, isn't sure what to expect from Saturday's meet.
"It's kind of scary, but it's still exciting," she said. "I think it will be fun."
Although sophomore Madison Dahlquist has been there before, she can't quite put the experience into words.
"It's not really anything you'd expect. It's more than you could tell someone," she said. "When you get off the floor, everybody's jumping around and some people cry."
Team captain Morgan McEwan said it's been challenging to lead such a novice team.
"It's been stressful, but I've been trying to stay strong," she said. "I think we've improved a lot for being a young squad. We've come far in a short period of time."
She said that as a squad, the girls are "still trying to find our strengths."
As a sophomore, though, McEwan still has plenty of time to help the team
develop.
The economy may also have reason to cheer.
McNutt, the executive director of Spirit for NIAA, said the tournament will bring in 11,000 athletes and their families from throughout the state for at least two days.
"It's a big boost to the economy," she said.
Candy Duncan, executive director of the Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, said she is happy to see large events like this, especially in the off season.
"This is marvelous," she said. "This is a great time of year, too, because it's normally slow. We love to have things like this going on. It helps everything."