The Elk Grove High School competitive cheerleading team has improved vastly throughout this year, but not just with their athletic abilities.

It’s their bond as a team that’s improved as well.

The senior cheerleaders have helped beginners to be confident in themselves and their skills. They push newcomers to not be shy, but to be loud and have fun.

That type of enthusiasm showed up in the cheerleaders’ state-qualifying run this past weekend.

The Grenadier cheer squad placed 18th in the co-ed preliminary competition.

“It was a very fun and memorable trip,” freshman Allie Schlottman said. “We made stronger bonds, and it was a good feeling to know that was the last performance with our friends.”

The successful run is the byproduct of the way the Grenadiers practice. You can tell the leadership is strong, and the participants share a strong bond between each other during practices.

For instance, the team has a Snapchat group chat, and they are all connected. Some cheerleaders can tell if something is wrong with their teammates. The group culture, according to the cheerleaders, is powerful and filled with support and loving care for one another.

There is a lot of trust that must be made, because when the flyers are in the air, they are relying on their teammates to catch them. A wrong move could result in an injury.

With the preparation of the competitive season, the team have been practicing endlessly after school for 2-3 hours of tumbling and proceeding to perfect every move of their performance. Elk Grove’s team had qualified for state 14 times, proving how much they have accomplished.

In their performance, Elk Grove proved how they have competed for state. The Grenadiers and their coach Danielle Damato have proved their dedication to the team and how it made its way to state.