The Ballard High School cheer team overcame adversity to finish third at the Jan. 23 WIAA State Cheer Championships.

The Beavers had the fifth-highest score out of 51 schools but were awarded third-place because they competed in a difficult division.

Three days before the championships, the cheer team suffered an injury to a key member, requiring a reworking of its routine, coach NancyEllen Elster said.

It wasn't the only obstacle Ballard had to overcome this year. Since this fall, the junior varsity cheer coach was fired, the tumbling coach was a no-show and Elster's co-coach quit, she said.

Despite the setbacks, the team did awesome, Elster said.

"The team this year has been amazing in terms of great attitude and focus," she said. "The kids have been one of the most cohesive squads we've had."

She said the members of the cheer team all pushed themselves to uphold the Ballard cheer tradition, which has been very good in the decade Elster has been coaching.

In the past nine years, Ballard has never finished below third in state. The team has won the state title twice and placed fifth in nationals during that time.

Each member of the team worked on individual skills so they would be ready to contribute to the team in any capacity when the time came, Elster said.

She said the Ballard cheer team has achieved its recent legacy of success by building teamwork and surrounding itself with coaches who want to work with its members.

Because of its consistent success in the past decade and its position as one of the only Metro-area schools to compete at such a high level, the Ballard cheer squad is now attracting the best of the best, Elster said.

The Ballard High School cheer team will be hosting a cheer clinic from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 at Ballard High School. Participants ages 5 though high school can register at the door and will have the opportunity to perform at halftime of the Feb. 12 girls basketball game.

The entry fee is $20. T-shirts cost an additional $12.