On March 9, 2025, Northwestern’s competitive cheer team had their final performance of the season at the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) cheerleading national championships in Ypsilanti, Mich. This was the Raiders’ second appearance at the national level. Last year, NW finished sixth out of 15 teams. At nationals, the team had two performances, a preliminary one that accounted for 25% of their overall score, then a final performance that made up 75% of the total score. The Raiders had zero deductions with their initial score of 86.5 and hit zero once again in their final routine to earn a cumulative score of 89.70. The Raiders placed sixth out of the 13 teams with zero deductions in both performances.
“We set our goals for the season, and we pushed hard for the outcome,” Head Cheer Coach Taylor Decker said. “We had to make some tough decisions early on to make it back to Great Plains Athletic Conference champions and have a great showing at nationals. It was not easy, but everyone wanted to be the best we could be and that helped us every day!”
In such a fast-paced sport, communication and motivation are key, but stepping on the mat can sometimes be the hardest part.
“One of the things that keeps us grounded prior to competing is our team prayer,” freshman tumbler Bella Muller said. “It puts us in the correct headspace and reminds us that we are not doing this for ourselves, but to give God glory.”
The Raiders are a new face to NAIA cheer nationals, but after being back-to-back GPAC champions, they have become a very competitive team.
“From my past two seasons, I see our success and consistency coming from hard work we are willing to put in during practice,” sophomore base Allie Oberhelman said. “It has really been about leadership, our amazing coaches Taylor Decker and Michelle Van Beek, and the bond we have as a team. Cheerleading is both a group and individual sport. Learning to trust your teammates to do their job while you do yours is vital to success.”
Though their season has come to a close, it certainly ended on a high note. With such a capable and dedicated team, as well as skilled coaches, it will be exciting to see what is in store for NW competitive cheer.
NW cheer has quickly risen to one of the top programs in the NAIA.
