The Fort Walton Beach High School Viking cheerleaders caravanned from the school to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport on Wednesday as they traveled to Dallas, Texas to compete in the NCA High School Nationals on Jan. 19-21 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
- The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department and Leadership students from the school saw the cheerleaders off in advance of the competition.
The team arrived in Texas late Wednesday night. After settling into their hotel, the Vikings plan to visit a local all-star gym Thursday to rehearse ahead of another rehearsal on Friday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The Vikings will then compete all day Saturday and Sunday, according to head coach Kristal Duval.
Duval has led the Vikings cheer program for six years after serving as an assistant coach for a season. She also cheered and graduated from Fort Walton Beach High School in 2009.
- “We used to go to Nationals back when I was in high school here and we would earn top one or two,” said Duval. “Viking Cheer placed first at Nationals back in 1995-96. We just started going back last year for the first time in over 10 years.”
The Vikings cheerleaders returned to nationals last winter, earning a No. 14 ranking for their game day routine and sixth-place in traditional cheer. They are the lone squad representing Florida this year.
In preparing for nationals, Duval tailored practices to focus on stunting, tumbling and perfecting routines without overworking the athletes balancing their cheer schedule with other sports and activities.
- The weekend includes two days of national competition. Their traditional routine is two-and-a-half minutes and the game day routine is three minutes.
Duval said she was “very proud” of how the team grew together ahead of nationals.
“They’ve grown so much as a team and individuals to get where they are,” she said. “They’ve shown consistency, resilience and drive, and I couldn’t be happier.”
While Duval wants her team to place high and bring back a title, she said her main priority is that “they go out there and do the best they can.”
- “Not many teams can fly to Nationals and do this so I’m very happy,” she added. “I want them to go out there and do the best they can. That’s all we can ask for.”
