At Granger, the drill team works extremely hard during 6:00 a.m. practices by perfecting fouettés and beautiful leaps. This year they have learned military, dance, show, and countless camp routines. Military routines are full of sharp and precise movements timed to hard hitting beats. Show routines usually have a theme and showcase facials and acting. This year the Excaliburs portrayed the theme of the movie Holes. The dance routines are either lyrical, jazz, or contemporary.

The first competition took place at Utah Valley University, and it was a prep for upcoming competitions. These girls were up against some of the best drill teams in Utah like Clearfield, Corner Canyon, and Copper Hills. “This competition was probably the hardest because most of us had never competed before, and we didn’t do as well as we were hoping,” Mabel Suarez (11) said.

The second competition took place at UVU as well, but this competition was at 6:00 a.m. Everyone was up around 4:00 a.m. working on makeup and hair. Makeup and hair can be extremely difficult because everything must be in perfect unison. Since the competition was so early, they had to stretch and walk through routines on their own. Competitions can last from 8 to 12 hours.

Shantaya Anderson (12) feels like the team did so much better than their first competition, regardless of the rough morning.

Kristy Pham (12) also got second in drill down. Drill down is basically a fun competition where someone calls out commands, and they get judged on how fast they complete those moves.

The third competition took place at Alta High, but this one was a time for practice and improvement. “We honestly weren’t focused on winning; we were looking for critiques to improve,” Mckayla Erb (10) said. The team won a judges-choice award in military and 4th in show.

Region was incredibly hard and emotional for these girls considering the amount of work they put into their dances. All those morning and evening practices were finally going to pay off. Drill teams train through summer practices, halftime dances, and so much more for region. This year’s regional took place at Roy High School on January 22. Anderson earned an academic all-region, and Pham placed 1st in drill down. The girls walked away feeling proud and confident.

Unfortunately, drill doesn’t always get the representation and respect they feel they deserve. “Many people don’t realize that drill is a full-year sport that re- quires lots of patience and practice,” Brianna Arellno (12) said. Fans don’t pay attention to dance sports because many believe they are not important sports. The teams get discouraged when they walk onto the competition floor and it’s completely silent.

After the season, the team celebrates all their hard work and dedication. They take a trip to California, visit Disneyland, spend time at the beach, and take classes from professionals. The team also showcases dances and holds a senior night.