HANAPEPE — The Hanapepe Cowboys D12 cheer team, performing under the Kauai Youth Football umbrella, finished the American Youth Cheer National competition with a fifth place after advancing to the Super Sunday finals in Kissimmee, Florida.
The Hanapepe Cowboys cheer team was the first team from Hawaii to compete on the national floor following its win at the KYF Regional Cheer competition that was held at the Kauai High School gym earlier in the fall.
“We felt the pressure,” said the Cowboys’ head cheer coach Cherie Linoz. “Our cheerleaders knew from the start that we were representing much more than ourselves. Though we were traveling as the Hanapepe Cowboys, the AYC called us ‘The Hawaii Team,’ and the importance of that was not lost on us. Our cheerleaders worked really hard and took the mat with the goal of making our families, and Hawaii proud. I think we accomplished that.”
The cheer squad entered as the D12, Small, Level 2 division that featured 14 teams competing on Dec. 14 at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. The top five in each division advanced to the Super Sunday competition, Dec. 15 to compete for the national titles.
“The Cowboys made it to Super Sunday,” Linoz said. “‘We were shocked, extremely excited, and truly humbled because we didn’t expect to advance. We believed in our cheerleaders’ abilities, but we also did not know what to expect. The moment was pure pride and joy for all of us.”
The Hanapepe spirit leaders were performing at the American Youth Football and Cheer, the world’s largest youth football and cheer organizatioon that brought more than 200 cheer, dance, and step teams from across the nation to Kissimmee, Florida.
“There was a lot less pressure,” Linoz said. “We were already in the winners’ bracket, and was awarded fifth place in our division.”
Accompanying the group to Florida, KYF president and founder Brad and Allison Hiranaka and Hanapepe Cowboys coach Kylie Linoz went to support the inaugural group from Hawaii, and also scoped out the accompanying football contests with a goal of one day bringing a football team to the AYF Nationals.
“I’ve always been a cheer dad,” Kylie said. “This trip gave me the opportunity to be cheer coach. I found out that I know a lot more about cheer than I thought. The AYC competition was a tremendous opportunity for our cheerleaders, and we are thankful we could be a part of it. They represented the KYF, the Hanapepe Cowboys, our island, and our state really well. They are a great bunch of girls.”
Cheer squad members include Kaylana Oshiro, Ella Grace Kanahele, Kloie Linoz, Kailey Planas, Cyani Bagaoisan-Rita, and Korie Kelekoma. Head coach is Cherie Linoz and Annie Parbo is the assistant coach.
“The AYC Nationals was unlike anything any of us have ever attended before,” Linoz said. “It is a huge production with lights, cameras, and so much action, and being the first team from Hawaii, we were welcomed with so much warmth and aloha by the AYC staff. We are definitely going back again — hopefully with our younger Cowboys D6 cheer team as well.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
