GBS Titan Poms Reach Finals of UDA Nationals Dance Competition
Behind the castle, huddling in a circle with their arms around each other, the Glenbrook South Titan Poms, coached by Julie Smith, are poised to enter the coliseum floor at the UDA Nationals Competition in Orlando, Florida. Emotions are running high, everything is on the line for the Seniors, it is the pinnacle of their 4 years of Poms, and in most cases the culmination of a lifetime of dance, coming down to the next 3 minutes. The GBS Titan Poms work day-in and day-out for moments like these. A single fall, stumble, misstep and their team may not place well. These girls have a special bond. There is teamwork, but it is also a closeness, a sisterhood, a feeling of family because they have to work in perfect synchronicity to achieve their ultimate goal – the finals of the UDA Nationals Competition. This team consists of 23 girls, ranging from High School Sophomores to Seniors. They practice every day for at least two hours after school and some all-day Saturdays. The girls perform at Football Games and Basketball Games during their non-competitive season. These are their fun routines. The intensity of competition is something entirely different – for 3 plus minutes they have to reach within themselves and achieve their absolute best with every muscle, every ounce of effort and walk off the floor completely spent – and do it at least three times in 2 days at UDA Nationals. Teams from all over the country attend the UDA Nationals Competition and they perform in different categories – Jazz, Pom, High Kick, Hip Hop – in Small, Medium and Large, depending on the size of their teams. GBS Titans competed in the Large Varsity Jazz and Large Varsity Pom categories. They placed 11th in the Nation in the Jazz category and 12th in the Nation in Pom, making the finals and achieving their ultimate goal. Stephanie Zenzola, Titan Pom Senior said upon hearing they made finals, "That moment was the first time I have ever cried tears of joy and definitely one of the happiest moments of my entire life. I knew we had worked so hard this year and to be able to showcase our routine out on the finals floor was really a dream come true!" " All I remember doing was screaming, crying and embracing my teammates while I took in the most memorable moment … out of all four years of being a Titan Pom…a reminder of why we work hard all season...so that we can cherish the reward at the end of our season." – Kendall Cameranesi, Titan Pom Captain and Senior "My mind went blank - it was nothing like I had felt before - upon realizing the goal I had been working towards had finally come true," said Allie Wolf, Titan Pom Senior. Additionally, during the week before Nationals, GBS went to the finals of the IHSA State Competition at Illinois State in Bloomington-Normal, IL. They placed 10th in Illinois in their Jazz Routine. It was an important prelude to the UDA Nationals Competition. Congratulations to the girls, coaches and their families for all of the accomplishments!!! Submitted by: Laura Wolf O'Mera, GBS Titan Poms Booster Club Secretary, 2/10/2017 |
Julie SmithCoach of the Glenbrook South Titan Poms ArchivesCategories |