"She reminded us that we're not in competition with anyone but ourselves," said Kylie Christensen, another senior. So from then on, it was 'Do better' because they could, not because the competition demanded it. Because being a drill instructor in Region 5 is like coaching football in the SEC.

"It is one of the toughest drill team regions in the state," she said. "It's tough competition at our region meets, but also it's hard to break the cycle (of the teams who win over and over), because those teams have had so many titles."

Draper said earning the title was the culmination of three years of work for her, the student-athletes and their families. She said the honor is being shared by the entire school and community, although not all of them realized what they had in their midst until this last weekend.

"It is really neat for our school," said Draper, who is eight months pregnant and had to be checked by medical personnel at UVSC because of the stress of the competition. "I don't think everyone realized the potential we had. Now these girls are getting the recognition they deserve.

While nearly all the girls on Roy's drill team are lifelong dancers, Draper said blending all of their different styles and personalities was very difficult. Like all of the girls who entertained thousands at the UVSC's McKay Events Center this weekend, they spent countless hours working on routines and raising money to pay for costumes.

Those who coach and participate in drill team believe that those who still doubt drill team is a sport just don't understand all of the workouts, conditioning and mental toughness that go into each competition.

"It's very competitive," Draper said. "But it is different from other sports in that with other sports, you can have a couple of stars and they can carry the team. But with drill, if one girl isn't on or isn't pulling her weight, she'll bring the whole team down."

One of Friday's most exciting performances in 4A was Granger's Prop routine. They used helium-filled balloons that were weighted with coins as their prop. They looked like exercise balls until the girls let go of them and the audience let out an audible gasp. Granger coach Adeena Lago said she got the idea a few years ago while watching a balloon her daughter had hover around her house. She wondered if you could do that on purpose and how it might be used in a dance, as she also coaches the school's dance company.

Unlike some of the larger schools' teams, Lago said nearly half of the girls on her drill team have never danced before. When they ask if it's possible to make the team without a dance background, she tells them to give it a try.

"I tell them if it's interesting to them, then they ought to try it," she said. "What's a tryout for?"