It's Game Day At The UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship!
It's Game Day At The UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship!
The game day division carries team traditions to the floor- take a look at some of last year's division winners before we get into this year's competition!
We've been counting down the days and it's finally time for the 2023 UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship! Teams will be traveling from all over the country to showcase their talent & traditions at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida as they work to earn the coveted UCA white satin jacket.
Varsity TV will have live coverage of the event on February 10-12, so you won't need to miss out on any of the action! Before the excitement of the year's most prestigious high school cheerleading event begins, let's take an inside look at the spirited Game Day divisions!
Game Day: Taking Tradition To The Mat
The Game Day divisions focus on showcasing school spirit and tradition through a four-component routine lasting up to 3-minutes. This routine is inspired by what the teams do at home to pump up the crowd throughout the season, consisting of a Band Chant, a Situational Sideline, Crowd Leading, and their Fight Song.
The Game Day score sheet is broken into two sections, with one consisting of the music elements, Band Chant & Fight Song, and the other of Crowd Leading & Situational Sideline. Each scoresheet totals 50 points, with the possibility of earning 20 points per component, and a 10-point "Overall Score". The "Overall" section focuses on the team's leadership to engage & connect with the crowd, including the transitions between.
The 2023 UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship will showcase Game Day routines in divisions consisting of Recreational Affiliated, Junior High, Junior Varsity, Varsity, Varsity Coed, Varsity Non Building, & Varsity Non Tumbling.
Starting in 2020, spirit squads were given the chance to compete in the fan-favorite Game Day LIVE division! Game Day LIVE includes the school's cheerleading team and live music from their pep band to build the ultimate home-field advantage!
2022 UCA Game Day Champions - Division I
Small Varsity DI included 25 teams from all over the country going into the Preliminary round of the competition. Eleven teams then moved on to Semi-Finals where the top eight advanced on to the Final round. Coming out on top with a score of 97 was Jefferson High School!
In 2021 & 2020, Montgomery High School went back-to-back as champions in the Small Varsity Game Day division.
Jefferson High School
Medium Varsity Division I had 15 teams competing in the Semi-Final round, taking the top nine teams to the Finals. Northwest Rankin High School came out on top, scoring a 99 to earn their team's victory.
Previous winners of the Medium Varsity Game Day division included Jefferson High School in 2021, who went on to win in the Small Varsity DI Game Day the following year!
Northwest Rankin High School
Large Varsity Game Day Division I included 20 teams competing in the Semi-Final round, with 10 moving on to Finals. Oak Grove High School secured the first-place spot with a zero deduction routine in Finals, earning a 97.3!
St. Thomas Moore Catholic School took home the Large Varsity Game Day title in 2021, with a Final score of 92.1.
Oak Grove High School
In Super Varsity Division I Prelims, 29 teams competed for a spot in the Semi-Final round of the competition. Thirteen teams then went on to compete in Semi's, sending the top nine to Finals. Franklin High School won the division, scoring a 98.2 for their spirited routine.
Previous winners in this division included Magnolia High School in 2021, with a Final Score of 93.35.
Franklin High School
In 2022, three teams competed in Varsity Game Day LIVE, which includes not only the school's cheerleading team but also the program's pep band to highlight live traditions of the school's actual game day scenarios. Center Hill High School, Village Christian School, and Independence High School went head-to-head in Finals. Independence High School placed first, with a score of 94.6!
