As the Brighton High School varsity pom team exited the national stage, they realized that despite leaving everything they had on the stage, they were shown that sometimes success is not tied to first place.
After winning a national title two years in a row, the BHS pom team came into the Division 1 National Dance Team Championship, situated in Orlando, Florida, from Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2026, prepared and ready to defend their title. Months of early weekend practices and late evening practices lasting hours on end and unwavering discipline and determination led them to the national stage this year. They performed two performances in both the Large Varsity Pom Routine and Large Varsity Team Routine categories, leaving everything they had on the stage. Despite not bringing home the championship title, they still earned a record-breaking score of 92.32, the highest in Brighton varsity pom history.
In Pom Routine, Brighton finished as a runner-up by just 0.08 points, an incredibly narrow margin that highlighted the level of intense competition. While the result was in some ways heartbreaking for a team that had invested so much time, energy, tears, passion and hard work into their routines, their strength and unity remained evident both on and off the floor and before and after receiving their second place title.
What made the season especially meaningful was the leadership of senior captains Elle Robinson and Cadence Mastel, who guided the team through one of the most challenging journeys to Nationals. Their resilience and commitment helped keep the team motivated and united when the pressure and the stakes were high.
Reflecting on the season, Robinson said that “success doesn’t always mean a win.”
“This season has been arguably the most impactful and rewarding season yet. Even though we didn’t come home with a National Championship, we came back with a record-breaking score for Brighton varsity pom and life lessons we can take with us for the rest of our lives,” Robinson said. “This team stayed determined through some of the toughest parts of our season and didn’t give up once. To us, success means growing from where you started and being proud of the accomplishments we made as a team. We came home celebrating a new high score for Brighton High School.”
Other teammates echoed this message, emphasizing not just the team’s placement but the hard work that drove them there.
“Not getting first place does not take away from the passion, drive and determination Brighton varsity pom has. I will forever cherish getting to spend those days with teammates that I call family. It was never about coming home with a ring, but instead showcasing what our team has to offer and all that we can do,” senior Hannah Holewinski said. “In the end, I am so proud of us because I know each and every one of us gave our all on the floor, and we’re truly proud of the performance we gave. In our eyes, we still won, even though we got second.”
