The San Antonio Silver Stars WNBA team is look for entertainers for their Star Squad Team. The Star Squad is made up of Male and Female dancers, tumblers, entertainers, and performers. You must be 18 years of age or older to tryout to be a member of the Star Squad.
The Star Squad performs at all Silver Stars home basketball games in the AT&T Center.
Tryouts take place Saturday, April 5, at the downtownYMCA on 903 N. St. Mary’s. There will be an application fee of $10.00, you must submit a full length photo. Applications are available at 5678 Danz Studio (502 Embassy Oaks, Suite 112, 78216) or can be downloaded on www.sasilverstars.com.
2007-08 Cheer Video
Del Rio High School
South Texas Cheer News!
by Azhar Gonzalez
SAsports.com Cheer Columnist Week of January 16, 2008
After years of training and experience, most cheerleaders find comfort and relief in cheerleading. As one gets older, it becomes more than a hobby, more than a sport; it becomes a way of life. For most a future career in cheerleading is ideal. Being able to achieve that goal is possible with help, drive, and determination. But before thinking about the future, the most important event on a senior's mind is NCA Nationals.
On December 27 through the 29, NCA, National Cheerleading Association, held their annual NCA Nationals Competition in Dallas, Texas. For most seniors, this is it. This competition is the only thing that matters and the one thing they've been training for. This competition is everything for seniors. In some cases, such as Holy Cross High certain seniors were not allowed to compete due to rules and regulations set by NCA. Because a few of the seniors attended Incarnate Word High School instead of Holy Cross, the most they could do was stand on the side and encourage their team members. In the past years, before 2006, Holy Cross used to be an all male school. This allowed the cheer team to acquire girls from Incarnate Word and Providence All Girl High Schools. Once Holy Cross became coed, the requirement was that they, like all other squads, had to attend the same school. Girls that had been on the squad before the transition were allowed to stay on the team until they graduated, but, unfortunately, were not allowed to compete at NCA competitions.
One of these seniors, Gabriel Kinderknecht, gave some insight on this subject.
"Of course I’m sad that we have to go home empty handed for the first time! That's hard to tell people yeah we lost and their reaction is like its okay. But, they don't understand that it's so much more than that, and that we have so much heart. They don't realize that we have a legacy and it's not because of luck but because we've worked our hearts out to hold on to that title year after year. NCA made one of the biggest mistakes not accepting Holy Cross to come back. It makes us feel, it’s simply because others knew that we're that talented that people had to find flaws to try to keep us from competing. Not only did they keep us last year from winning our 8th title but we had to play by their new rules this year and not let the Incarnate Word girls perform, including myself. Going into a smaller and less difficult (talent wise) division was completely different. We realized we were not the same Holy Cross just because our division doesn't let us show half the talent we have. It was a new obstacle but we put up a fight. We might have not done so well in prelims but it was a reality check to most girls on our team especially the inexperienced girls. They learned and quickly stepped up to face the pressure at Finals. I've never seen the girls perform the way they did that day... it gave me chills and I cried. Well I cried everyday but you know what I mean. McCollum, Antonian...etc. were yelling our name which brought back memories of the Old Holy Cross. I'm not going to lie when Antonian won I cried because honestly they reminded me so much of ourselves and the drive they had. So Good Job ACP! It completely struck hard knowing that when our team performed the Incarnate Word girls couldn't physically help but only TELL the girls to push themselves taking a risk of knowing that they would take the advice and run with it or just plainly ignore it. We wrote our goals and feelings towards the squad in a letter and read them to the team before finals I balled, and balled, I don't know how my make-up stayed perfect. We then put the letters in an envelope and when they performed they put it right on the floor in front of them to remind them that those are their goals and it's right in front of them. Our competition wasn't great, but our routine didn't have what the judges wanted having less girls, less stunts. They did their best and none of us had regrets and that's what makes us winners. Being in second and losing by .02 didn't make me sad because I took pride in my team and how they performed. We can only do so much! We're back! Losing can be a positive experience making the next team and next set of seniors push the girls to win coming back with a vengeance! I wanted to be those seniors being remembered as leading their team to the win after making a comeback. I love you Holy Cross Team let's make it happen at Cheer Power Nationals being that the Incarnate Word girls get to compete! It's not over…”
To the seniors who were unable to actually be on the mat, you do much more than given credit for. Without the encouragement, strength, and constructive criticism from you most of these girls wouldn't have made it this far or have pushed themselves to get better.
Congratulations to all San Antonio teams that competed in Dallas and good luck to those seniors applying for NCA Staff and hoping to further their cheerleading career.
Graduating cheer seniors of 2008: This article pertains to you. As the cheerleading year comes to an end, it's important that people are aware of the hardships.
The results for NCA Nationals were as follows:
Small Coed Varsity Division:
-McCollum placed 3rd with an 8.57.
-Harlandale came in 8th with a 7.60.
Large Varsity Division:
-Churchill placed 5th with an 8.35.
Super Large Varsity Division:
-Reagan High School came in 4th with an 8.88.
Small Varsity Division:
-East Central came in 5th with an 8.95
-Clark High School came in 7th with an 8.79.
Intermediate Medium varsity division:
-O Connor came in 5th with an 8.28
-Warren High School came in 6th with an 8.18.
Intermediate Large Varsity:
-Holy Cross of San Antonio High School came in 2nd with an 8.80
-Stevens High School came in 12th with an 8.01.
Junior Varsity Division:
-Reagan came in 3rd with an 8.37
-Churchill placed 6th with a 7.66.
Intermediate Small Junior High/Middle School Division:
-Blessed Sacrament Catholic placed 6th with a 7.10.
Parochial Division:
-Antonian College Prep placed FIRST with an 8.91
Intermediate Small Varsity Division:
-Taft High School came in 6th with a 7.99
-St. Anthony's Catholic School came in 10th with a 7.79.
Varsity Non-Tumbling Division:
-Kennedy High School placed 6th with a 7.35
A handful of you seniors were given the chance to apply and tryout to become an NCA staff member. To apply as an NCA Staff member, one must submit a tryout video that consists of an introduction, including their name and why they would like to become an NCA Staff member, a tumbling pass, NCA camp cheer, three consecutive jumps, some form of stunting, and standing tumbling.
Congratulations to all our hard working teams and a great farewell and good luck to all our graduating cheerleaders of 2008. I hope this year was memorable for all and I hope you continue to strive for your goals and make things happen.
-----------------------------
If you have any questions or have any information to share about your cheer team or upcoming events, please feel free to email me at azhdg@yahoo.com. Thank you.
Azhar Gonzalez is our SAsports.com Cheerleading columnist for the 2007-2008 school year. Azhar has been in cheer since she was eight years old. She has been involved with the TCCA Stallions, San Antonio Jets, Holy Cross Knights, Alamo Cheer Sports, and currently with Cheerific’s International Coed Squad. Eash week she will give our readers a better understanding of the cheerleading world by interviewing cheerleaders from different schools and organizations, and posting up major competitions and information on different cheer teams.
