On Monday, I walked into the gym at 5:30 a.m. (not impressive, since I hadn't been there for a month or so) and saw three Davis High athletes. I recognized them from their halftime performance at the homecoming football game: three cheerleaders, all flyers, including identical twin sisters Delilah and Charlotte Blake.
They are both flyers. They are the ones standing atop the pyramids and being thrown high in the air. It is very dangerous. Cheerleading is the No. 1 female sport in terms of significant injuries. Fortunately, new rules were implemented in 2007 that significantly reduced that number. But there are still gasps every time a cheerleader goes flying through the air.
Curious about what it takes to be so successful in such a sport, I reached out to the twins to learn more about competitive cheerleading and its requirements. Here is what they said:
DB: For stunts, we always start with the basics, especially for sideline. By the time we reach new stunts, we walk through them and give them a try. It’s always super safe because other groups will stand around to catch the flyer if needed.
CB: We start stunting in pre-tryout clinics for new cheerleaders. As the season progresses, we learn new stunts and build on basics. During the competitive season, we focus on perfecting a set routine.
MT: What goes through your mind when you are flying through the air?
DB: Flying is really fun in my opinion. I have mixed feelings before a stunt—mostly excitement, but I focus on doing my best. It's surreal; I do it, and then the routine is over. I don't realize I'm being thrown in the air.
CB: When I'm about to be thrown in the air, I focus on my part in making the stunt succeed. A stunt group isn't just one person—everyone has a role. In competitions, we take the floor, the lights are in our face, the music starts, and then we essentially black out until it’s done.
MT: How important is trust and teamwork?
CB: We have a bond and trust that can't be recreated. Every year is different as we welcome new people and say goodbye to others, so we constantly rebuild trust. There's something special about the bond among cheerleaders. We throw each other in the air, which takes immense trust.
DB: Teamwork and trust are essential in cheerleading. You can't do our stunts without trusting your group to catch you. We participate in various team bonding activities for this purpose. Going to camp in Reno and sharing hotel rooms builds great bonds. I always trust my group to catch me if a stunt falls.
The Davis High Cheer team has won the JAMZ National Championship seven times: 2025 (x2), 2024 (x2), 2023, 2022, and 2020.
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