Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 3, 1 March 2008 — Kamehameha-Kapālama squad wins fourth national title in six years [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kamehameha-Kapālama squad wins fourth national title in six years

By Dūlly Wūng Up against exceptional gymnasts and established cheerleading programs from powerhouse states like Texas, Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee, it was the girls from the Islands that captured the hearts of the judges and audience alike at the 28th annual National High School Cheerleading Championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Kamehameha-Kapālama won first plaee in the Small Varsity division — its fourth nahonal title in six years. "It was an amazing experience," said senior captain Keenyn Won. "Our team values are hō 'ihi, mālama, kuleana and pono. Perhaps they were just words to us

at the start of the season, but after coming so far and facing so mueh, I think all of us finally understand that our values make us who we are. On the floor when it counted, we found a strength inside that carried us through. It made all the difference." Competing for the first time ever, Kamehameha- Kapālama ' s Middle School blue squad finished among the top five junior high programs in the nation, taking home a fourth-place trophy. In addition to the Warrior squads, both Kailua and Kalāheo high school's varsity squads represented Hawai'i well at the Feb. 9-11 competition by advancing to the semifinal round of competition in the Small Varsity division. Discipline and a sense of values have been a way of life for the

Kamehameha cheer team. On the always demanding and sometimes lonely road of physical, mental and emotional challenges that pave the way toward any worthwhile achievement, cultural values have proven to be the greatest source of strength for the KamehamehaKapālama cheerleaders. "From the time the members enter our program they are taught to respect what is na'au pono," said co-head eoaeh Melissa Beimes, who is an aide to Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Boyd Mossman. "They understand that they have a responsibility to eaeh other, to our program, to our school and community. It is this deep sense of what is right that has really helped our kids do well in such a huge national forum." Huge indeed. The cheerlead-

ing championship features hundreds of squads from 48 states, all regional champions in their own right, in two days of intense competition. In the world of cheerleading in whieh every event is seemingly now labeled a "national," the NHSCC is widely acknowledged as the one true competition. It is the only championship recognized by the Nahonal Federation of State

High School Associations, whieh administers high school athletics and fine arts programs in all 50 states. Highlighted by ESPN and ESPN2 in more than 60 hours of dedicated programming, the NHSCC is the premier event of its kind. □ Dolly Wong is a eoaeh for Kamehameha-Kapālama 's nahonal ehampion varsity squad.

Traditional values carry Kūmehamehū-Kūpūlūmū cheerleaders to their fourth nahonal title. Photo: Courtesy ofDoiiy Wong