Cal Poly Stunt Team Celebrates Winning National Title
5/4/2023 2:43:00 PM | General
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Most who follow sports know the time and dedication the athletes put into it. That same dedication and time commitment applies to the Cal Poly stunt team, who saw all their hours of hard work pay off last weekend when they won the 2023 College Club Stunt National Championship in Dallas, Texas.
They brought the title back to San Luis Obispo after beating other club teams from Arizona State, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech.
In stunt, each match is a head-to-head format with four quarters, each representing a different aspect of the sport. The first quarter is partner stunts, the second quarter is pyramids and tosses, the third quarter is jumps and tumbling, and the fourth quarter is a team routine. There are judges who score each routine and award points based on execution, difficulty, and technique.
At the national championships, the Mustangs were the No. 3 seed in the club division and matched up against No. 2 seed Texas Tech in the first round, coming out on top 18-12. They then advanced to face No. 1 seed Oklahoma State in the semifinals, winning that one in overtime 17-16.
In the championship, they faced Oklahoma State once again. The Cowgirls held a 3-2 lead after the first quarter and was tied 5-5 at halftime. Cal Poly then pulled ahead 9-7 after the third quarter before going on to beat Oklahoma State for a second time 18-17 in overtime to clinch the national title.
The victory was especially gratifying for head coach and director of spirit programs Annette Laron-Pickett, who has led the program for 16 years and was named the 2023 National Coach of the Year for the second time in her career. At the 2022 National Championships, the Mustangs just missed out on winning it all, finishing runner up to Oklahoma State.
"We have been preparing all year long for Nationals as we were the runner up in 2022 losing in overtime by two points to Oklahoma State," Laron-Pickett said. "We practiced almost every possible scenario from playing double overtime mock games, having early morning practices to get our bodies accustomed to the time difference, and down to the type of music they would play at halftime. Our mental game needed to be just as prepared as the physical aspect. I told our team that no matter the outcome, we are humble winners and gracious losers, but in my book, everyone is a champion."
This year's team, which is on the younger side, is comprised of 21 young ladies who, in addition to competing in stunt, also can be seen cheering on many of Cal Poly's teams and entertaining fans during timeouts and halftimes. For Laron-Pickett, this year's championship was a culmination of all the hard work and sacrifices by everyone in the program the last few years. In the final rankings of the year that came out this week, Cal Poly was ranked No. 1 in the nation for its division.
"Our team is made up of all student-athletes who were accepted into Cal Poly on their own merit," Laron-Pickett mentioned. "We are also a young team with only one graduating senior this year so watch out for us in 2024. We have a roster size of 21 athletes compared to other rival teams with close to 36-40 athletes. The upperclassmen were the set of athletes who had to endure COVID practices with masking up, rotating in cohorts, and social distancing so they were determined to show how hard they worked for this championship."
Stunt is one of the fastest growing sports at both the high school and college levels. The NCAA recently approved stunt with Emerging Sport status at the Division I and II levels starting in August, something Laron-Pickett feels will open the door for more colleges to add it and give more girls the chance to participate.
"NCAA approving Stunt will bring lots of opportunities for female athletes at the collegiate level. Cal Poly athletics and administration have been very support and look forward to what the future brings."
They brought the title back to San Luis Obispo after beating other club teams from Arizona State, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech.
In stunt, each match is a head-to-head format with four quarters, each representing a different aspect of the sport. The first quarter is partner stunts, the second quarter is pyramids and tosses, the third quarter is jumps and tumbling, and the fourth quarter is a team routine. There are judges who score each routine and award points based on execution, difficulty, and technique.
At the national championships, the Mustangs were the No. 3 seed in the club division and matched up against No. 2 seed Texas Tech in the first round, coming out on top 18-12. They then advanced to face No. 1 seed Oklahoma State in the semifinals, winning that one in overtime 17-16.
In the championship, they faced Oklahoma State once again. The Cowgirls held a 3-2 lead after the first quarter and was tied 5-5 at halftime. Cal Poly then pulled ahead 9-7 after the third quarter before going on to beat Oklahoma State for a second time 18-17 in overtime to clinch the national title.
The victory was especially gratifying for head coach and director of spirit programs Annette Laron-Pickett, who has led the program for 16 years and was named the 2023 National Coach of the Year for the second time in her career. At the 2022 National Championships, the Mustangs just missed out on winning it all, finishing runner up to Oklahoma State.
"We have been preparing all year long for Nationals as we were the runner up in 2022 losing in overtime by two points to Oklahoma State," Laron-Pickett said. "We practiced almost every possible scenario from playing double overtime mock games, having early morning practices to get our bodies accustomed to the time difference, and down to the type of music they would play at halftime. Our mental game needed to be just as prepared as the physical aspect. I told our team that no matter the outcome, we are humble winners and gracious losers, but in my book, everyone is a champion."
This year's team, which is on the younger side, is comprised of 21 young ladies who, in addition to competing in stunt, also can be seen cheering on many of Cal Poly's teams and entertaining fans during timeouts and halftimes. For Laron-Pickett, this year's championship was a culmination of all the hard work and sacrifices by everyone in the program the last few years. In the final rankings of the year that came out this week, Cal Poly was ranked No. 1 in the nation for its division.
"Our team is made up of all student-athletes who were accepted into Cal Poly on their own merit," Laron-Pickett mentioned. "We are also a young team with only one graduating senior this year so watch out for us in 2024. We have a roster size of 21 athletes compared to other rival teams with close to 36-40 athletes. The upperclassmen were the set of athletes who had to endure COVID practices with masking up, rotating in cohorts, and social distancing so they were determined to show how hard they worked for this championship."
Stunt is one of the fastest growing sports at both the high school and college levels. The NCAA recently approved stunt with Emerging Sport status at the Division I and II levels starting in August, something Laron-Pickett feels will open the door for more colleges to add it and give more girls the chance to participate.
"NCAA approving Stunt will bring lots of opportunities for female athletes at the collegiate level. Cal Poly athletics and administration have been very support and look forward to what the future brings."
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