Veteran Gael coach Amber Barwin also saw a new beginning, though, with her team’s most recent clutch performance.

For the fifth consecutive year, St. Edmond captured gold in the Class 1A stunt group category. The Gaels also brought home silver in cheer/dance, which marked the program’s fourth straight trophy in that event.

“This group is definitely a special one,” said Barwin, a 1998 St. Edmond graduate who is in her 18th season at the helm. “It’s probably one of the most talented teams I have ever coached. They have been hard working from the moment the team was selected. They know they have a target on their back as a defending state champion in more than one division.

“In addition, this particular group of kids are involved in the successful tennis, track, softball, cross country, and volleyball teams. I truly believe success breeds success, and girls who try out for our cheer team want to work hard to continue that success. They know the expectations are high, and we cannot get complacent.”

Submitted photo: The St. Edmond state champion stunt group (left to right): Michaela Leiting, Abby Lawler, Ella Mundie, Ellie Knox and Andee Barwin.

Seniors Andee Barwin, Michaela Leiting and Abby Lawler joined junior Ellie Knox and sophomore Ella Mundie for the stunt group performance. The cheer/dance squad included Barwin, Leiting, Lawler, Knox and Mundie, along with senior Kaili Henning, junior Cambree Lunn, junior Maddy Cripe, sophomore Anna Lursen, sophomore Ava Underberg and freshman Alex Leiting.

Fans — and even judges — see the end result on competition day at the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center. Coach Barwin knows it’s the culmination of an entire year of practice and preparation.

“I think some people believe it is easy to maintain this level of success,” said Barwin, who is assisted by volunteer Tatum Friesth. “Those people don’t see the fat lips, bruised biceps, sore legs…they only see the final product. They don’t realize the hours that go into a routine behind the scenes. They also don’t realize that a cheerleading scoresheet always has a level of subjectivity.

“We preach hitting the little things as well as the big things. You are performing, whether you are flying on top, basing on the bottom, or walking to a transition. Every movement matters.”

The upperclassmen were the anchors in 2023, but everyone again invested in the culture that has created a cheer dynasty at St. Edmond.

“Not only are we throwing humans in the air, we are doing more and more difficult skills each year,” Barwin said. “The current freshmen and others that were new to the team never missed a summer practice. Despite many of them playing softball, they went home and practiced the materials, made corrections and were super coachable as we stunted and jumped and learned new skills.

“They were eager to absorb anything in order to get better. We work 11 months out of the year, and it is saying something when these girls show up even when they are not prepping for games.”

The Gaels performed at an elite level despite sharing athletes with other fall sports and dealing with last-minute injury issues. St. Edmond had to work an alternate into the routine just one practice before heading to Des Moines.

“Instead of doing full outs, like we would typically do, we were reworking a routine, changing positions, changing formations, and learning new counts,” Barwin said. “I was really nervous after Wednesday’s practice that the girls would not come ready to work, but they had positive attitudes and put every ounce of everything into that next practice.

“I was so proud of their response to something really hard and then the way they performed on Saturday not even looking like they missed a beat. Many teams would not have been able to compete if they had been put in this situation, but these girls took everything and put on a show. We are also one of the only schools that compete that have girls running at state cross country and still playing volleyball the week before state. I often think about the schools that do not do this — how they have the ability to practice every day, with every member of their team, having girls who specialize in cheer — and I look at what our girls are able to accomplish being involved in everything. They are just amazing humans.”

While 2023 brought some closure in the results, it also left the door open for future challenges — and opportunities.

“It’s cool to see the seniors telling the younger girls what we need to do to make sure we’re bringing home trophies again next year,” Barwin said. “I was so proud of what the girls did on Saturday, but there was also disappointment when we did not defend our cheer/dance title. Second place by two-tenths of a point stings, and there are so many what ifs, but I think the girls left it all on the mat.

“Cheerleading is always a little bit subjective, and this time we didn’t come out on top. The game time spirit girls competed in a new division, as the sideline division changed this year. It was a huge division and I had a lot of younger girls on the floor. They looked amazing on the floor, and they are young, so I know that fueled a fire within them. We take nearly all of our cheerleaders to competitions, unlike many teams that only select some of their best and leave the rest at home. We are all a team and I want every girl to know how important they are to the success of the whole team.”

Barwin’s daughters, Andee and Emma, were both in a senior class that added a sense of personal meaning to the coach’s investment.

“The seniors this year are a very special group to me. Obviously, coaching both of my daughters has been something that has been both difficult and rewarding,” Barwin said. “There are definitely moments where we butt heads, but to have extra time together with both of those girls has been special.

“It’s also (unique) because I have watched Andee and Michaela (both all-state individuals) cheer together since they were five (years old). Both of them are phenomenal cheerleaders. I can count on either one of them to step up, lockout, and hit any stunt. And I know they will perform to their best ability 100 percent of the time.”

Being a Gael cheerleader is as much about setting the right example all year long as executing during state week when it matters most.

“When (the 2024 seniors) were freshmen, they had such amazing leaders in Aubrey Bemrich, Avery Galles, Jacey Ash and many more,” Barwin said. “They taught these girls about the tradition of St. Edmond cheer and how to lead. (The senior class) grew into six this year (compared to just Andee Barwin and Leiting four seasons ago), and all of them left a mark on the program.”