CRETE, Neb. – Head coach Mandi Maser led her cheer and dance teams into competition for the first time in 2019 at Saturday (Jan. 19)’s Doane Invite. In the dance competition, Concordia placed third out of four teams with a score of 61.25. In cheer, the Bulldogs finished third among the three squads present by scoring out at 62.80.
Host Doane and Hastings also competed in the meet. York College appeared in the dance competition exclusively. The Concordia cheer and dance programs are beginning their fifth seasons as varsity athletic programs.
Said Maser, “Both teams did a great job for their first competition. We have to work on consistency and increase some difficulty in our skills to improve scores, but their performances and character they displayed made me proud.”
In both competitions, teams are judged on a variety of categories. In dance, teams are scored in areas such as jazz technique, pom technique, hip hop technique, staging and transitions, team turn sequence and a variety of other criteria. In cheer, the main categories for evaluation are building skills, tumbling/jumping skills and overall routine. Two judges are present for each competition.
The Bulldogs are hoping to improve their position within the GPAC after 2018 conference places finishes of fourth out of seven in cheer and eighth out of nine in dance. Both Concordia squads will be in action at home Wednesday versus Doane before traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich., this coming week for the Concordia Invitational Tournament (Jan. 25-26). CUNE will host its on cheer and dance invite inside Walz Arena on Saturday, Feb. 2.
The NAIA will host an official Cheer and Dance National Championship for the third year in a row. The 2019 event will take place in Davenport, Iowa, March 8-9.