Julia Brown can't contain her excitement along with fellow captain Presley Kate Pittard and coaches Morgan Sugg and Farrah Cox.
The Legacy Christian Academy Competitive Cheer team won the TAPPS 2022 Division II Championship on December 5 in Belton, TX. This historic State Championship for the LCA Cheer program came after the Eagles competed against 5A and 6A teams from across the state. The team also received a “Superior” rating, the highest rating awarded by the judges. The Competitive Cheer team members are freshman to senior athletes who have been training for the State Championship for more than six months. Additionally, four of our athletes were named to the TAPPS All-State Team:
Honorable Mention All-State: Landry Burkhalter (`24)
Second Team All-State: Abigail Bradford (`24)
First Team All-State: Presley Kate Pittard (`23)
First Team All-State: Julia Brown (`23)
All State Athletes (l to r) Abby Bradford, Julia Brown, Presley Kate Pittard, and Landry Burkhalter
The LCA Competition squad spent early mornings and late nights training for a 2.5-minute routine that is very physically demanding. The team must train outside of their practice time for football and basketball sideline cheer. Training for the TAPPS State Championship includes strength and conditioning, tumbling, stunting, and dance choreography.
Our cheerleaders had their own cheerleaders – several of our JV cheer squad attended, along with many students and parents.
“From day one, the competition team bought the competitive philosophy that was needed in order to bring home a State Championship. We also needed commitment and heart to reach our goal and that is exactly what this team embodied. On behalf of our entire coaching team and the Director of our Cheer program, Morgan Sugg, we are so proud of how this team represented Legacy Christian Academy,” said Farrah Cox, Head Varsity Cheer Coach.
The TAPPS State Cheer Championship is held in a prelims and finals format with prelims counting as 40 percent of the total score and finals counting as 60 percent. LCA was competing against some storied TAPPS Cheer champions with very talented athletes. After prelims, LCA was solidly in first place with a 2.5-point lead and needed to maintain that position in finals to be the State Champions. When LCA hit the mat for finals, the energy and skill level were so high, there was no denying the team would maintain their first-place position.
“Winning State created the perfect senior memory with the best possible team – all of our hard work paid off and I truly couldn’t be more proud of everyone,” said Senior Captain Presley Kate Pittard.
Senior Captain Julia Brown added, “Winning State was an amazing representation of how hard we worked and how far we’ve come as a team! The tight bond and our genuine love for what we were doing really set our team apart.”
Additionally, for the first time in LCA history, Eli the Eagle also competed in the TAPPS mascot competition and brought home the bronze medal, placing third in State. Watch Eli's spirited performance below!
Legacy Christian Academy is Frisco's preeminent Pre-K through 12 Christian school committed to educating students in a college preparatory environment balanced in academics, athletics, and fine arts–all within the context of a biblical worldview. For the latest information on Legacy athletics, subscribe today. For more information on Legacy, visit our admissions page.