How Bingham High School cheer brought home the national title

By Ava Hart 

 

The Bingham High School cheer squad, all 22 members, huddle together, hand in hand, with their heads tucked below their chins. It’s down to the top two teams. The announcer calls second place for Frederick Douglass High School.

The Bingham athletes' jaws drop as they look at each other in shock. They had secured the win.

Then, an eruption of cheers, hugs and tears of joy streaming down their faces.

First place at the National High School Cheerleading Championship – for the first time in school history.

Last year, the Bingham cheer team finished in second place. Over the last four years, the team placed in the top five three times. 

When they finally won, senior and team captain Avery Iorg said “it was a feeling of relief but also something that didn’t feel real. We realized all our blood, sweat, and tears at the countless practices had finally paid off.” 

 

A significant achievement

The athletes competed in the Large Varsity Division 1, a highly competitive group that included 33 teams at nationals. 

“Winning nationals is the ultimate validation of countless hours of practice, dedication, and sacrifice. It proves that their efforts were worthwhile,” said Missy Mackay-Whiteurs, the director of cheer for the Utah High School Sports Association.

The victory represented the culmination of a season filled with hard work and dedication, said Head Coach Amber Thomas. 

The team practiced for several hours each week, rehearsing stunts, tumbling, and chants to reach the best of their abilities. 

However, before reaching the national championship, the team had to prove themselves in several preliminary competitions. 

First place at nationals followed five wins earlier in the competition season, which took place from December 2024 through February 2025. The team needed to compete against other Utah teams in their division regionally to earn an invitation, also known as a “bid,” to nationals. This is no easy task. Cheer Media shares that no bid is guaranteed unless a team scores 90 or higher at a regional event. Bingham took on the challenge, leading them to Florida.

“Watching the pure joy in every one of my athletes is what you want your kids to experience in any program,” Thomas said.

Preparing for nationals

However, Thomas shared that after receiving their bid, the hard work was not over for the Bingham athletes and coaches. The regional events had a different scoresheet from the nationals, varying from the number of athletes in tumbling and stunting skills. So, Bingham had to focus on the regional scoresheets to secure a bid and win locally. Then, they needed to adjust for the national scoresheet quickly.

“The state scoresheet is a little bit different than the national score sheet, so we found ourselves torn between preparing for state or preparing for nationals,” Thomas said. 

At state competitions, Thomas said, judges looked for at least 50% of the team to participate in elite stunt—structures that incorporate high-level skills. At nationals, she said, judges wanted to see the athletes present more on crowd focus and encouraged them to cheer along with the team and participate in team chants. In the two weeks between the regional competitions and nationals, the team simplified their routine by placing more emphasis on engagement with the crowd and making the stunts more straightforward.  

“Simplifying the cheer for our national's routine made the athletes more confident, and I believe that it enhanced their ability to lead the crowd more efficiently,” said Thomas.

The improved confidence was great for the tumbling challenges the team took on. Some tumbling in the routine had to be adjusted in an attempt to better meet the national standards. Similar to stunting, in-state requires 50% of the athletes to tumble; however, that was not the case at nationals. As a result, the team had to restructure their tumbling passes. 

Iorg said she felt the team handled the changes excellently because tumbling was a strength for them. 

“We have always worked on our numbers for tumbling, and that is one of our strongest attributes as a team,” she said. 

Working on their numbers meant going through routines and skills to perfect them.

 

Leadership and unity 

The team’s success, Thomas said, relied on leadership and team unity—goals Iorg said she and her co-captains worked toward. 

“Having a successful team is really having a team that's inclusive and has great leaders,” she added.

Joslyn Pederson, Iorg’s co-captain, said she understood the importance of leadership and embodied it this past season. 

They recognized that no athlete is perfect, so they practiced patience by understanding their teammates would make mistakes while also encouraging them to reach their fullest potential. They understood that their bond with their teammates was essential for improving as a team.

“[Leadership] means not necessarily just being in front of the team, but leading them and pushing them to do their best,” said Pederson.

The athletes said that maintaining positive attitudes throughout the season helped form a cohesive team capable of success. 

“Strong leaders motivate and encourage their teammates throughout the season,” Mackay-Whiteurs said. 

Iorg said the team’s unified approach went a long way.

“I feel like unity with the team and just like always like pushing each other to get better each year and just competing with the team that was last year to be better than we were,” she said. 

 

The future of Bingham cheer

Tryouts for next season's team were held in mid-March. In addition to skill, Thomas said she’s most interested in athletes who listen and are eager to improve. 

“The biggest thing that we look for is someone who is coachable and …  is able to take those corrections and apply them,” she said. “We also want people who are good positive teammates and represent our team well both on the mat and in the classroom.”

Making it to and winning nationals required skill and good attitudes, qualities Thomas said the team values in new athletes. It was a moment that Thomas said she will never forget. 

“It was wild. It still does not feel real.”