Watch a video of our Liberty Belles as they travel to Florida for nationals.

For the first time ever, the Liberty Belles competed at nationals and placed 10th in the nation.

After working hard and practicing since the summer of 2016, their hard work and determination paid off.

After five hours on a plane ride, the team landed in Florida on March 2nd. They stayed there for a total of four days and left on March 6th.

It was a very long and exhausting four days but it was also very rewarding.

The first time competing at nationals was exciting for the team. There were many amazing teams that were there.

They also danced on a stage where at a normal competition they would dance on a gym floor. It also pushed the team to their full potential and motivated them to work twice as hard.

There were a total of 31 teams that competed in pom and 15 teams that competed in mix.

Along with dancing, they were also able to bond as a team. They got to go to Universal Studios, swim and even eat at some great places such as Hard Rock Cafe.

“Going on a trip with your 15 closest friends is different than going on a trip with your family,” senior Taylor Stewart said.

They began announcing the places and started with 19th place. After announcing 19-11, they announced the top ten teams.

When they finally announced the Liberty Belles being tenth in the nation it was so exciting and such a great feeling for the team and their coach.

“At my studio, when I was younger I always looked up to the high school dancers that were on dance team and I never thought that I was going to do that one day,” sophomore Marlee Doniff said. “It’s a way to express yourself in a different way than talking. So, when I heard that we placed tenth I felt very accomplished.”

Amanda Miller, the dance team coach is very proud and happy with the results. With it being the first time they competed at nationals, it was everything she hoped for.

“My hope for the future for the team is to continue to improve every single day. We have come so far. The Liberty Belles started as a team of six with little dance experience. I’m so proud of the Belles and what we’ve been able to accomplish as a team in the last four years,” she said.

The dance team has already achieved so much and come so far. The first time competing at nationals they were able to place 10th in the nation. They are going to continue to improve each year and have even more goals for their future.