CLACKAMAS HIGH SCHOOL – Here, unlike at their home school, Lincoln’s cheerleaders could unleash their full potential.

They rolled and tumbled across the mats and flew through the air, always ending with a pointed hand and a wide smile.

It paid off. The Cardinal cheer squad, composed of 17 girls, took third in the 6A Small division at the Cavalier Cheer Invitational Jan. 30. With state competition around the corner, the team is looking forward to competing strongly, despite limitations other teams do not face.

Due to a lack of mats and space at Lincoln, the team has to practice their competition routine at the Oregon Dream Teams facility in Beaverton. It also means that Lincoln students view cheerleading as only what they see games or pep rallies.

“There is so much more to cheerleading than (Lincoln students) see,” says Coach Nicolette Gonzales, who is in her 16th year coaching and third at Lincoln.

“It would definitely be helpful and more convenient to have mats to practice on at school,” says team lead sophomore Emma Williams, “but we have made it work.” Plus, the team has a great relationship with the staff at Oregon Dream Teams, she adds.

The team hopes that perseverance will pay off at the state cheerleading competition Saturday at the Memorial Coliseum. Members believe the Clackamas competition showed they are well on their way to state.

“I thought we did really well,” sophomore Sarah Kanzaki said. “We’re getting close to where we want to be for state.”

After the team’s performance, assistant coach Alana Cogen said the cheerleaders hit all their stunts. “They did amazing,” she said.

In her third year coaching at Lincoln, Gonzales considers this her strongest team, with the best chance of competing strongly at state. “They’re fabulous as a team,” Gonzales says. “They have a lot of commitment and they all support each other.”

The Clackamas event was good preparation to compete for the ultimate prize.

“It gives the team the opportunity to really feel what it is like to compete and gain confidence,” Gonzales says.

Coach Kristin Kinnie of Clackamas High School, coordinator of the Cavalier Cheer Invitational, agreed. She said the experience of performing in front of a real audience and judges is important.

“Many teams will make changes to their routines prior to state based on the feedback they receive from judges (at Clackamas),” Kinnie said. “It’s a decent predictor of success at state.”

Gonzales says her team will keep working to perfect their performance in the days leading up to state.

“At state, we are aiming to hit a clean and sharp routine with all the girls smiling and truly exhibiting the great season of training they’ve had,” she said.

The state competition is an all-day affair, but, like every competition, the Lincoln girls will only have two and half minutes to exhibit their skills. Lincoln will perform at 2:40 p.m., though spectators are encouraged to arrive early. Awards are at 7:10 p.m.

The team must arrive early for a series of pre-competition checks. Then, the coaches will try to keep them calm until they perform.

“We bring some movies,” said Gonzales. “Everyone’s nervous to a point, but also excited.”

Before the Clackamas competition, Gonzales and Cogen assembled gift bags for the cheerleaders. Each bag contained a handwritten card, a stuffed monkey and a personalized gift.

Coach Gonzales’ efforts and commitment do not go unnoticed. At Clackamas, parents of the team bought a “cheergram,” a message read aloud before the cheerleaders compete, for Gonzales, one of only a few coaches to be appreciated in this way.

“The time and effort she puts into coaching is so amazing and she has really helped build up the cheer program at Lincoln,” team lead Williams said. “Our team has worked so hard this year and I feel very confident about state.”

After the competition, assistant coach Alana Cogen, a former team member and first-year coach, had her eyes on the state competition because the team has “so much potential. After today, it shows has much they have.”