Chapin cheerleading dominance is no accident.  Months of training that includes learning new routines and new gymnastic skills along with competitions can add up to a lot of hours training and maybe a state cheerleading title.
“Winning state is the best feeling, it feels good to know that it was all worth it,” said senior cheerleader Jenna Meetze.
All that success doesn’t come easy and, turns out, doesn’t come cheaply.
Basic skills and a uniform don’t create a cheerleading dynasty.
Standing tucks, tumbling, stunting, jumps, and running tumbles need to be taught by professional trainers like the staff at local cheer training center ACX.
The team practices twice a week at ACX and during the off season most members of the team continue training there.  Advanced classes are 50 dollars a month and tumbling classes are 55 dollars a month.
Cheerleading like all sports takes a lot of talent and sometimes even money.
Cheerleading camp, cheerleading shoes, a required membership to cheerleading training center ACX, uniforms, and equipment purchases can all add up to a large sum for each member on the nearly 30 member team. The average girl could pay anywhere from 700 to 1000 dollars a year to be on the team.
Sometimes the costs are relatively small  such as 60 dollars for a pair of shoes or they are covered through fundraising like the six uniforms required for varsity. The Athletic Department also helps out with costs with like paying for buses to go to competitions.
At other times, the team has to come up with a more substantial amount to pay for expensive equipment for practice and a professional choreographer to create award winning routines.
“Money has never been an issue; we do all kinds of fundraisers to raise money,” said JV Coach Tracy Player.
The Chapin Little Girls Cheer Clinic goes along way to helping the program come up with the kind of funds that it takes to create award winning programs.
With typically over 200 kids from the area paying 60 dollars each, the program is able to generate over ten thousand dollars in one week.  This money is used for the program and to help the team members out with personal costs like attending the mandatory five day cheer camp held each summer.  
“Camp is held at different universities but mainly the University of Florida, Kentucky, and the team’s favorite- the University of Alabama,” said  Coach Player.
During the five day camp, the team will work on the upcoming season’s routine, which will hopefully pay off in a two-minute flawless performance in front of the Chapin fans at the state championships in November.
“It’s like being at a football game. There are people everywhere. I have to show up two hours early just to get seats for the parents. Greenville even had their whole football team show up to support their cheerleaders,” said Player.
The experience always outweighs the cost when it comes to sports like cheerleading
The cost of cheerleading is worth it in the end.
“I hope the team learns that in life you have to work hard to achieve your goals. I hope cheerleading helps each girl to believe in herself and her dreams,” said Coach Vicki Williams.