The Hope cheerleaders recently made their annual trip to the largest regional cheerleading camp in the country sponsored by Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) in Milwaukee, Wisc. Hundreds of cheerleaders from colleges and universities all over the Midwest met for four days to work on new skills and safety techniques.
The only NCAA Division III college in attendance, the Hope squad, comprised of eight men and eight women, participated in competitions in Division II. This was a very competitive division, including two universities that were top-five finalists in last year's College Cheerleading National Championships. Hope earned third place trophies in the Fight Song and Cheer competitions and a second place trophy in the Sideline competition.
Over the 13 consecutive years of attending this camp, the Hope squads have shown steady improvement. The UCA staff acknowledged this by awarding Hope the Program Improvement trophy, recognizing how far this program has come.
"This award is a testament to the long-term commitment of the college and our athletes to make Hope one of the best and most consistent cheerleading programs in the nation in Division III," said coach Wes Wooley.
Another first for Hope at camp was the inclusion of "Dutch", the new college mascot. Dozens of college mascots attended the camp to work on their persona and perfect their game-day skills. Dutch made a big impact in his premier at camp, earning the trophy for Most Improved Mascot.