The cheer team has continued their tradition of excellence this year, with recent individual and team victories.

Cheer won their division at the McMinnville Invitational Cheer Competition on Dec. 7. This was the first time doing their traditional routine, a 2:30 routine scored on difficulty and execution. 

“Our goal was to be clean,” said head coach Mikyla Pruett, “and we scored a penalty free routine.”

In a first for Douglas, the squad was named “Grand Champs” at the Oregon Cheerleading Coaches Association (OCCA) Championships in Sherwood on Nov. 9. 

In October, senior Nevayah Samuels was selected to the 6A individual All State Team. Athletes had to submit a video to be selected for the prelims and the top 60% were chosen. Samuels made the prelims, and then was chosen as one of the top 15 athletes in the state on the All State Team.

At JV winter tryouts, the squad added 12 new members, to bring the JV total to 24, which is the biggest JV squad since before Covid.

Cheer’s next big event is on Jan. 11 at Lake Oswego. “We’re looking to upgrade our routine and improve on our scores,” said Pruett. 

Until then, and all year, cheer is cheering and performing their routines at almost all the Douglas athletic events. “We’re super busy,” said Pruett.