Countywide : Cheerleaders to Compete Nationally

Song leaders from four Orange County high schools will compete next month in the Cheerleaders of America competition in Jacksonville, Fla.

The pep squad members are from Fountain Valley High School, Anaheim High School, Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana and Santa Margarita High School in Rancho Santa Margarita.

The event is expected to attract 127 teams from across the country and include sixth-grade to varsity level song leaders, organizers said.

Teams will also vie for $40,000 in individual and team college scholarships in the March 19 through 21 competition.

But the road to get to Florida hasn’t been easy for the local teams.

The song leaders have spent hours of practice to perfect their dance routines. And they have also been committed to planning and participating in fund-raising activities to earn the money to pay for their air fares, lodging and other expenses.

To raise money for themselves, as well as their advisers and coaches, they’ve sold root beer floats, brownies, cookies and cupcakes.

They have also held garage sales, carwashes, dances and have knocked on doors in their neighborhoods selling candy and trying to get sponsors.

But teams still need funds and are planning last-minute fund-raisers and appealing to their communities to help.

“It was really a high goal we set for ourselves, and now that we qualified, we’re trying to raise the money to go,” said song leader Erin Holmes, 17, of Fountain Valley. “And we really want to go and win.”

Lee Foersch, adviser at Fountain Valley, said parents at first rejected the idea because they didn’t think the girls could raise the estimated $9,000 for the 11 team members to attend.

“But we wanted to at least say we tried,” said team captain Kelly Lutz, 17. “It’s hard not knowing if we’re going because money is in the way of earning this once-in-a-lifetime chance to go.”

To raise money, the team plans to hold a seesaw marathon this weekend in the parking lot at the shopping center at Brookhurst Street and Ellis Avenue.

John Merino, adviser at Mater Dei, said that 14 song leaders from the school plan to compete and that they need to raise about $500 each.

Paul Marks, Santa Margarita’s adviser, said the 12-member song-leading team is also raising money to cover its expenses.

Edie Zajec, Anaheim High’s adviser, said that the 15 girls on the squad are trying to earn $750 and that they’re nearing the goal. Each has already raised about $700.

Advisers said having their teams compete on a national level gives them the chance to vie against song leaders from all over the country.

“It gives the kids the opportunity to compete against the best,” Marks said.

Song leaders agreed that they are looking forward to a memorable trip.

“I guess I just want to make our school proud of us and for us to know that all of our hard work paid off,” said Corrie Hinze, 18, Santa Margarita’s team captain.

For the local teams, their hope is to come home national champs. But they said they just want their teams to do their best.

“I’m just looking forward to them feeling that they’ve done well,” said Anaheim’s Zajec. “I don’t care if they come out No. 1. I want them to learn from the experience and get a positive message.”