At the 2025 State Cheer Competition, Pleasant Valley’s competition cheer team made a remarkable fourth-place finish at state. The squad was determined, driven and ready to create a legacy that would set the foundation for future squads.
This foundation was established on day one and was carried throughout the season. “From the moment I stepped onto the mat that first day, I knew that this season would be different. Our skills that had far more difficulty hit consistently on day one, and it left everyone with such a positive mindset. Even on the first day, our team was so connected and was on the same wavelength, and it helped shape such a strong season for us all,” shared senior Kelsey Vickers.
This dedication and focus paid off, but their journey was marked with hard work and resilience. One of the biggest challenges the girls faced was injuries. “As soon as competition season rolled around, four integral girls in both routines were injured, and it left us in a very hard place. However, our team’s confidence didn’t waver, and some of our members pushed through those injuries to help better our squad and helped us achieve one of our most successful seasons yet,” explained Vickers.
Despite these setbacks, the team persevered, and that spirit carried with them throughout the season, resulting in impressive accomplishments.
This season, the competition team hit tremendous marks. The team placed first in a cheer/dance and gametime at Iowa’s Spirit Spectacular, first and second in cheer/dance and gametime at the Spartan Challenge hosted at the University of Dubuque and third at the Triton Challenge, which they earned while hitting zero.
The team also earned the sportsmanship award at Triton Challenge, highlighting the team’s spirit on and off the mat. Often overlooked, receiving the award acknowledged the team’s overall positive spirit and sportsmanship.
These accolades were earned through the team’s dedicated effort to seek excellence. “This team had a drive like no other. All of us had one goal in mind, and that was to give this competition season everything we had, and so we did. This team worked so much harder and gave it so much effort, and it really showed at the end,” said Vickers. “Not only did this team have drive, but we had such strong bonds. I’ve never been on a team this woven together, and this connected, and that helped us tremendously in the end.”
This effort is what they carried to the state, and it really shone through. The team ended up placing 4th, an all-time school record.
This team has many people to thank for their placement, including Coach Veronica Cox. She was one of the many people who shaped the squad. “This comp season felt really special; the routines that were created felt so perfect for the exact skill set of our squads,” shared Cox.
What is even more impressive is the growth throughout the years. “Our Cheer Dance squad has moved up every year. In my first season as coach, we placed 8th. The seasons after were 6th, then 5th, then 4th this year,” stated Cox.
The team hopes to continue building on its progress. “We just keep setting the bar higher for ourselves, and have our sights set on the top 3 next year,” shared Cox.
The cheer team’s growth is monumental, and the future of the squad will continue to shine brightly as years go on.
