SJA Earns Two National Titles

The cheerleaders and dance team from St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge each brought home national championships from competitions recently held in Orlando, Florida.

The cheerleaders won the 2021 National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC), held April 23-25 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida.

The NHSCC is billed as the country’s most prestigious high school cheerleading championship. 

The Red Steppers brought home top honors from the 2021 National Dance Team Championship, held April 22-25, also in Orlando. The competition is administered by Universal Dance Association and is the only national-level dance team championship endorsed by the National Federation of State High School Associations.  

The SJA cheerleaders competed in the Super Varsity Division with its traditional competition routine, which includes elite stunts, tumbling, pyramids, jumps and a minute-long cheer. During the  semifinal round, SJA “hit” a perfect routine with zero deductions, moving onto the final round and bringing home the title of national champion.

“This has been a dream come true for me,” said coach Mollye McManus. “Ever since I became an SJA cheerleader in 2011, I have dreamed of coaching this team. 

“And this past weekend, we brought a national championship title back to Baton Rouge.”

“This has been a crazy year working around COVID-19 restrictions, major schedule changes and multiple injured athletes,” she added. “These girls are resilient and so talented. They were always willing to learn new skills and made it happen, despite the obstacles. Their work ethic is something every coach dreams of, and I could not be more proud of these girls. 

“My heart is bursting.”

Senior Josie Moore said being a national champion means much more than bringing home top honors from the competition itself. It also means countless hours of work and overcoming every obstacle in the way. 

“Our team has become such a family, and there is no better feeling than all your hard work paying off with your best friends,” Moore said. “Having won my freshman year and falling short the past two years made this win even more special because as seniors, we felt as if we finally finished what we started. Winning that national championship title will always be a memory I hold close to my heart, and I hope the future SJA cheerleaders will one day get to experience the feeling of everything being worth it in the end.” 

The Red Steppers competed in Large Varsity Jazz and Game Day, finishing first in Game Day and fourth in Jazz. 

“I am still on cloud nine,” said Coach Jade McCune. “This team is just two years old, and it feels unreal to bring home a national championship. More than that, the feeling of watching this team take the floor after a year of uncertainty with an unbreakable bond and leave every piece of themselves out there is truly the best feeling. 

“They came to each practice with such positivity and grew every step of the way. As a team, we put our faith first and allowed God to guide our journey.”

Hailey Griggs, a senior and team captain, said that the national competition is usually held in January. With
COVID pushing the date back three months, there were teams across the country that opted to end their seasons early. 

“(McCune) questioned us as to what we wanted to do,” she said. “One hundred percent of the team voted to continue, put in the work and compete for a national title. As the long months went by, we put in the blood, sweat and tears to get the team where we needed to be for nationals. We put in the work, and it paid off.”

“The SJA Red Steppers are now national champions,” she added. It still blows my mind. I couldn’t be more thankful or proud of this program and these girls. 

Junior Bella Grier, also a co-captain, expressed her enormous pride in the Red Steppers’ accomplishments. 

“There really is nothing quite like the feeling of being out on the mat in front of the castle with girls who are like sisters to me,” she said. “Being national champions in only our second year as a team is the best feeling in the world, and I can’t even begin to explain how happy and blessed I feel to be a part of such an amazing program. I love our team so much, I can’t wait to see all that we’ll accomplish in the future.”