Ruston High Competition Cheer team wins Louisiana UCA Regional title
The Ruston High Competition Cheer team won the Louisiana UCA Regional on Sunday afternoon in Lafayette. Courtesy photo
Ruston High Competition Cheer is officially the best in the Boot.
The team won the Louisiana UCA ( Universal Cheerleaders Association) Regional title on Sunday in Lafayette, earning a trip to the National High School Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida, Feb. 8-10.
It was a tremendous emotional response for the RHS cheer team after the heartbreak of the football team’s state championship loss on Saturday, leaving RHS cheer coach Collin McDonald proud of his group’s focus and attention to detail in the face of a tough weekend.
“This year has been super satisfying because last year we finished second in a regional in Dallas, this Louisiana regional, and second at nationals,” McDonald said. “This year, they said their goal was to come in first in all three and so far, we’ve finished first in the two regionals. I was also proud of how they refocused after a tough one on Saturday and stayed in the moment.
“The LHSAA got rid of our state championship a few years ago, so this is really our state championship in a way since it’s the only Louisiana title you can get.”
Ruston won the ‘ Gameday’ section of the UCA regional, where each team has three minutes to perform a routine consisting of a band chant, chant, cheer, and fight song – essentially what Bearcat fans are accustomed to seeing on a Friday night at Hoss Garrett Stadium.
McDonald, who’s joined by Chandler Mc-Donald and Rebecca Daulton on the coaching staff, is pleased with this year’s team for staying consistent in their mentality to be able to bounce back after coming up just short in competitions last year.
“They got that taste of defeat last year and they seem hungry this year and they’re eager to win,” McDonald said. “They’re just like any other sport where we watch film and tweak things in practice, and we watch how we perform and improve each time. It’s been cool to see them improve like they have.”
The next stop is the National High School Cheerleading Championships at Walt Disney World Resort on Feb. 8-10, 2025.
