The St. Joe’s cheerleading team is counting down the days of preparation as the 2023 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate National Championship approaches.

 Since last August, the team has been preparing for the tournament, which will be held April 4-6 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Using data and analytics, the coaches have created a calculated approach to this year’s competition.

“We did a lot of research, analyzing the division, our competition and what the judges were scoring,” said Coach Lauren Andrews Hanos ’04.

 The technical difficulty of this year’s routine is much more advanced, according to captain Bella Paoli ’23.

“Our routine is a lot harder than it has been the past few years, and that is because we’ve had a lot more skill join the program,” Paoli said.  

As the cheerleading program has expanded in recent years, Paoli said the team has attracted more talented athletes with competitive backgrounds. 

Coach Kim Nichols ’15  said the amount of tumbling in the routine also adds to its difficulty.

“I think it’s just a step above what we’ve ever gotten honestly,” Nichols said. “It’s the best routine that we’ve had.” 

The team is also relying on the talents of world-renowned cheerleading choreographer, Dahlston Delgado, to help them step up their game for this season’s nationals, Nichols said.

Delgado joined the program in 2019, and the team won their first national title in the Division I All-Girl Intermediate Division that year.

“The year that we started with [Delgado] was the first year we won, so that also just gets everyone’s buy-in on his ability,” Nichols said. “We’ve seen him choreograph for the best.” 

 In 2022, the team placed fifth at nationals, offering them a chance for a do-over this year. 

“The big thing is, we wanted to build confidence because we didn’t have a great Daytona last year,” Nichols said. “We are in the season of redemption.”

Captain Nicole Grossbaum ’23 said shaking off last year’s disappointing outcome is key.

“In the beginning, we were comparing to last year a lot,” Grossbaum said. “We tried to get out of that mindset because it’s a new year.”