CHADRON, Neb. — The Chadron State spirit team will be holding a showcase on Thursday, April 2 in Chadron to preview the routine they will be performing at the National Cheer Association (NCA) College Nationals later in April.
The showcase will begin at 6 p.m. in the Chicoine Center. The event is free to attend, with donations accepted. All donations will go towards the cost of traveling to nationals for the spirit program.
"The showcase is an opportunity for the community to get a glimpse of what we will be competing at nationals," said Head Spirit Coach Sydney Gwerder. "It's also a good chance for our athletes to get some of those nerves out and experience what it's like to perform in front of a crowd."
This will be the first time the Eagles will compete on the national stage after the program received their first-ever invitation from the NCA in August. The competition takes place in Daytona, Florida on April 8-11, with over 500 teams in attendance.
Chadron State will be competing in the Intermediate Small Co-ed Division II category alongside 24 other programs, including the RMAC's Colorado School of Mines and nearby schools like the University of Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State University. All competing schools are grouped in 34 different divisions according to factors including the size of the team, difficulty of skills attempted and the school's level of competition (Division I, Division II, NAIA, etc.)
Competitors are scored on a 90 point scale, based on categories such as stunts, tumbling and pyramid. Each team is offered two opportunities to perform, the first making up 25 percent of their score and the second making up 75 percent of their remaining total.
The Eagles will make their first appearance at 1:53 p.m. (MT, 3:53 p.m. ET/local) on April 9. Chadron State's second performance will be on April 10, with the order and time of their second run determined by the scores of the first performance.
The NCA Nationals competition will have a pay-per-view livestream on Varsity TV, with annual and monthly subscription options available. Tickets for nationals are also available for purchase online.
