Under the glow of the Friday night lights, the varsity pom team brought more than just flawless choreography to the field—they brought heart, hard work, passion and strength. The two captains, senior Elle Robinson and senior Cadence Mestel, played an important role in inspiring and leading the team to greatness this year. As the sideline season has wrapped up and the team has transitioned to their competition season, the captains have shared some of their leadership techniques and ways they guide their team to success. 

Behind every halftime performance and dance on the sidelines to hype up the crowd lie hours of practice and a striving for perfection.

“We’re really focused on improving every week and building consistency,” Mestel said.

Both Mestel and Robinson cited the Homecoming football game as their favorite event of the sideline season.

“The energy from the crowd was incredible, and seeing everyone come together as a team made all the hard work worth it. That night really reminded me why I love being part of the varsity pom team,” Mestel said.

“This was our seniors’ last time performing on the field, and I was so grateful to do it with my favorite people. The routine went well and was everything I could have asked for, for the last time,” Robinson said. 

Both Mestel and Robinson have led their team with passion, encouragement and heart, but through long and physically demanding practices and tough days, they have also had the task of keeping their team together. “I try to remind everyone of our bigger goals and how far we’ve come. When practices get hard, I like to keep the energy up by encouraging teammates, celebrating small wins and keeping things light when needed. Staying positive together helps us push through the toughest days.”

As they head into the competition season, Mestel is excited to see how their “teamwork pays off and to challenge [themselves] against some strong teams.”

Through competition, they hope to maintain their national title, which they earned in both 2024 and 2025. 

“The biggest goal for our team this year is to win our third national championship,” Robinson said. “With that being a goal, it takes a lot of determination and hard work to progress the way we want to before nationals.”

Although nationals is weighing on their minds, at the end of the day, they ultimately hope that people remember how close their team was, how hard they worked and that they left everything they had on the stage.