Thunderbird Cheer rolled into Casper for State Cheer in March with high expectations. After nearly a year of prep, the team wanted championships. They knew they had great routines, and they knew they looked good in their performances, but there’s something different about competition – you never know what the judges will think.

At the meet, over the course of seven intense hours, the teams took turns, putting their best on the mat. “My favorite part about competing is showing off all of our skills to every other team,” says Madison Terry, 12. “But I don’t enjoy the stress that gets built up before you hit the mat.”

The T-Birds competed in four categories, earning third place finishes in Game Day, All-Girl and Co-Ed, one of the best showings of any high school in the competition. While it wasn’t the championship they expected, it continued a tradition of excellence in Thunderbird Nation. “It was really rewarding bringing home a trophy all four years,” says Terry. “We got a lot of support from everyone.”