I had the best time at Finals, it is everything I dreamed about!
He said
Well, here we are still in The Falls, through two days of the Canadian All-Star Nationals weekend and having a great time! It all got started yesterday for Sov with the Canadian Finals which was invitation only. They managed to get one of the last bids and basically were up against every age group at Level 3. Their team at U18 was older which means the flyers tend to be more developed and harder to get as aerial as the ones on a U12 and U16 teams. The rest of the Nationals got underway proper today with both Sov and Valour bringing their attempts for medalling on the national level. Both teams performances started today with day one where their scores counted for 30% of their final result. Tomorrow both teams have their last and final performances which are worth 70% of their score.
First, and foremost for Finals, Emelia and the girls were just happy to have gotten the bid for Finals. They had no delusions that they could win it all. Sure, it would be nice – but they were in tough against some very skilled teams. Sov’s performance was really good but it was not their best of the season like when they have hit zero. Settled in to see how they placed they were not surprised to see that they didn’t make the top 5. There was some slight disappointment but they were happy with the experience and being part of something so special.
Today, Sov was first with their run going just ahead of 2:00pm. The girls were nervous but ready to bring it after having a run in for The Finals. The later start in the day allowed them to sleep in, take the morning easy and to get ready at an easy pace. When it was finally time to go we were nervous and excited to see how it was going to go. The performance today was about the same as yesterday – no glaring errors, or fall downs, but also not perfect. While Emelia was initially disappointed, once we let her know that none of the other teams we saw perform were perfect, either. And that today was only worth 30% of their final score.
Then it came time for Valour to perform just ahead of 5:00pm and they were ready to get their Nationals bid going. There’s been a lot of changes to Valour’s routine in the last few weeks to position Valour for its best opportunity to place well. So, we had hoped that all the adjustments would do more to help and would come together at the right time. Like Sov, Valour’s performance did not hit zero but it was solid without any glaring errors. The girls were harder on themselves than their parents who had a lot more perspective from seeing some of the other routines.
It all comes down to tomorrow and both teams’ last routines of the weekend, and the season. Hopefully for both it will be a case of saving their absolute best for last, hitting zero and putting themselves in the best position to place well. We hate to leave you hanging for a week with how it goes, but for a first time, Nationals is a four-day completion and wraps up on Monday night, late for us and well after blog deadline.
She said
This has been the most magical and exhausting weekend. This weekend was something that Emelia has been dreaming about for 5 seasons. Saturday we arrived excited to take on the cheer floor. Emelia and the Sov have been working hard for weeks to polish their routine to get ready for Finals. The girls were fully relaxed and ready to make the best memories. Emelia and the team did not have any delusions that they would place in the top they just wanted to be there to have the experience and to perform as a team. The smiles on the girls faces were infectious and they put it all out there. It wasn’t a full hit zero as there was a bobble on one stunt in the pyramid but otherwise was an incredible run. After awards the girls were thrilled that they placed higher than one of the teams they are against at Nationals and beat the other team from CSR that they have never scored higher than all year. So, in the end the girls were thrilled about how Finals went and came out bonded more than ever.
Today we were at the venue in the early afternoon to get ready for Sov’s first run of Nationals. The girls again hit the floor smiling from ear to ear to show everyone what they had. They did not have a clean run, one stunt came partly down so the girls were disappointed. Emelia and her friends watched every video of all their competition and saw that most of the teams did not have clean runs so they felt a bit better. All the parents were beyond proud and know that tomorrow they will kill it. Emelia and her friends had to shift focus to Valour and to take the floor focused and ready to show off the changes they have been making over the last few weeks. Emelia and the girls were nervous but excited. Emelia’s stunt group had a clean and increidble routine. There was one group that had one partial stunt issue but otherwise the clean, high energy and one the best runs they have ever had all season. The girls if they can hit tomorrow for either teams they should land with strong results. I know both teams have put so much pressure on themselves to place high, we know they are capable of doing it so we hope that tomorrow is the best runs of their seasons and they end the season on the highest note.
This has been hands down the most successful season of Cheer Strike Royals history. So far they have had 6 teams make Canadian Finals, one team placed first and grand champs for all the levels for Canadian Finals. To date they have had 7 gold medals and one bronze for Nationals. This is the best season by far in the gyms history. Emelia and her team hope that tomorrow by the end of the day her teams can add to the medal count. It has been the best season yet and Emelia has loved everything about it.