With CHEERpros California Cheer and Dance Championships just around the corner, the teams, the athletes and especially the coaches are packing in practices and making sure not to miss a single beat. FloCheer is live streaming the event on January 23 & 24 from Ontario, California. Watching a sporting event is always interesting when you love the sport, but knowing what’s going on behind the scenes makes it that much more interesting.

We caught up with six coaches this week, who have teams competing at CHEERpros this weekend. They gave us the scoop on their routines, what makes their teams strong, struggles they are facing and details about specific athletes on their teams. Get inside the minds of the coaches, watch their teams this weekend, and see how the competition unfolds. It should be interesting! 

Katie Bowers - Eldorado High Cheer

Have you made any changes to your routines leading up to the event this coming weekend?
My coaching motto is that you should never compete the same routine twice. Your routine should evolve as the season goes, adding difficulty throughout.

Are there any struggles that your teams might be going through?
Every team has struggles, from injuries, to academics, to time management. How you handle the struggles and persevere is the real challenge.

What would you say is a strength or unique about your program?
The overall strength of the ELDO cheer and song program is its ability to grow and evolve as the cheer and song community grows and evolves.

Cheryl Vuong - Los Alamitos High School & HSC AllStars

Have you made any changes to your routines leading up to the event this coming weekend? 
LOSAL: Yes I had a top girl fracture her ankle and the alternate, who has been taking her spot since last week, just told us last Wednesday that she was out the for next competition. So then we had to put the girl with the fractured ankle back in for this past weekend. She did great and didn’t do any tumbling or jumping. Then yesterday she hurt her good ankle! We are now trying a JV girl today so cross your fingers for us!
HSC: We lost a girl on our J3 team due to a stomach tear (and she was a crossover for our J1), so we have had to adjust that routine from 19 to 18 members. On our Y2 a girl fractured her elbow and is out for the season.

But I will say that every team, that has been affected, has really rallied and brought such great attitudes to practice everyday especially my Varsity Team. Super proud of them all!

Do you have any specific team members that do outrageous skills that bring a lot to your teams' performances?  
LOSAL:  Well we have nine girls throwing fulls in our routine....wait make that eight now. We also have nine tuck hand hand tucks and three athletes doing two to fulls in the opening. I have all three stunt groups pushing to do a full twisting release pop off to a catch.
HSC: We are truly in a rebuilding year and each athlete is doing "outrageous skills" for their ability.
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Are there any struggles that your teams might be going through?  
LOSAL:  Other than injuries no. I have six seniors that really have done an amazing job leading the team. They lost their way in December…but found it again thankfully.
HSC: Just the above injuries as well.

What would you say is a strength or unique about your program?
LOSAL: Our program has a long tradition of being good stunters and tumblers. I own a gymnastics center and many of my athletes have tumbled for me and also I have eight girls on my varsity that are former HSC athletes.

Danielle Calta - Tesoro High Song

Have you made any changes to your routines leading up to the event this coming weekend?
Yes, we had to re-stage the routines due to an injury last week. In addition, we have been cleaning and fine tuning the routine so we are at our best next weekend.

Do you have any specific team members that do outrageous skills that bring a lot to your teams' performances? 
We try to highlight individuals as much as possible, but I think overall we have a high level of difficulty from all our team members.
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Are there any struggles that your teams might be going through?
Yes, we had a member suffer a concussion last week. So the girls have been working hard to learn new spots. In addition, the girls had final exams this week leading to CHEERpros. So they have had a lot on their plates both academically and physically.

What would you say is a strength or unique about your program?
I feel our teams are very well rounded. We don't just focus on competition, but we pride ourselves on having great spirit at athletic events, school rallies, and in the community.

Cris Stuart - Tesoro High Cheer

Have you made any changes to your routines leading up to the event this coming weekend?
We have added difficulty and really cleaned up our baskets and dismounts.

Do you have any specific team members that do outrageous skills that bring a lot to your teams' performances? 
We have a girl that does two to a full and then round off handspring full. In our cheer they do toe backs and then another standing back.
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Are there any struggles that your teams might be going through?
Luckily, knock on wood, hahaha, they have been getting along great and having fun together - even though we just had a girl quit two weeks ago.

What would you say is a strength or unique about your program?
Our strengths are our baskets, our tumbling and always our last dance section. Style.

Nicole Cestone - Santa Margarita Catholic High School

Have you made any changes to your routines leading up to the event this coming weekend?
Our routines are constantly evolving and changing after every performance. We improve on what works and what needs more revisions based on judges feedback and our coaches' perspectives.

Do you have any specific team members that do outrageous skills that bring a lot to your teams' performances?
Each of our dancers are extremely talented and bring their gifts to make our team whole. Many of our dancers are highlighted to enhance the overall choreography of our routine.

Charisma Jones - South Bay Diva AllStars

Have you made any changes to your routines leading up to the event this coming weekend?
Yes we have. This week as been tough having to overcome injuries, losing an athlete, and making changes to our routines to compliment our athletes.

Do you have any specific team members that do outrageous skills that bring a lot to your teams' performances? 
All of our athletes contribute to our routines, However, Kaylani at only six years old, has impressed us and made us so proud this week. She is on two teams. Although we felt two teams could be overwhelming for her, at only six years old, she has managed to prove us wrong. She makes everything she does look so easy and really steps up when she's needed. Her confidence is inspiring.
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Are there any struggles that your teams might be going through?
We lost an athlete who decided she no longer wanted to cheer. She was very vital to our Junior 2 team. We quickly replaced her. Luckily, there was no school Monday so we used that day and had a eight hour practice. It wasn't easy but we succeeded. 

What would you say is a strength or unique about your program?

Along with our athletes and families being a really tight bunch, our gym is able to overcome anything. We are a small gym that is on the rise. There's no stopping my dedicated coaches, athletes and parents.