A group of Santa Maria cheerleaders took home a national title to close out February. Team Starstruck, a junior level cheerleading team based out of Santa Maria, placed first in their division at a national competition in Dallas, Texas, and also won a separate choreography award, according to coach Kali Williams.
The Triple Threat Cheer All Stars team consists of six athletes, aged 9 to 14. They are (pictured from left to right) Jeselle Vega, Michelle Rodriquez, Violet DeAlba, Desiree Salinas, Mia Martinez, and Karolina Arrayga.
“As soon as I heard our name, it all became a totally crazy reality,” Martinez said.
The win helped Team Starstruck clinch a bid to the Division Two Summit at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, which Williams described as the “Superbowl of the cheer world.”
This article appears in Mar 15-22, 2018.