EC’s Pep Squad has been on the hunt for championships since adviser Diana Galias joined the fray five years ago.

Since her start as adviser, there were a few years without much luck. That all changed in the Spring of 2014, when the EC Pep Squad went on to win State Championships and bring home the title of the best in California.

It did not stop there, as this year the team repeated their performance and brought back another banner. Along with some championship jackets for the members.

While continuing to do everything to help the team get better and better, Galias has coach Krystal Oropeza and a great team to help her out. “My coaches know what I want, I know what they need,” Galias said.

The team works well together and the “high school talent just keeps getting better and better,” Galias added.

She looked towards her head coach for confirmation, and Oropeza said, “I agree, every year they come in stronger and more talented.”

Although the format of the pep squad is very segregated, in which they separate two-year colleges and four-year universities in competition. There are many things to look forward to, as the goal is to win a trophy, a banner and a jacket from the championship competition.

Transfer pep squad member Alyssa Campos is in her first year at EC and on the team. She said, “so far I really like (the team) and it’s a lot tougher because I haven’t done cheer in a while, but I feel like I’m progressing, the work is tough but it feels good.”

Another first year member, Jessica Taylor, said that being on the team is “fun” and that she is “very proud” about the progress of the team. When asked about the jackets and championship she added, “It puts a smile on my face and I know it was the work we did as a team. There is no ‘I’ in team.”

Galias was not shy, nor was she not confident, when she said, “We are the best team. I can even prove it to you. We were sent a letter from a cheer program in Greenville, TN. It’s from a school called Tuscolum. We have never been sent an invite for our girls to attend a program before. And now it just makes us know we’re getting better.”

Oropeza was shocked, considering it was her first time hearing it, and several of the pep squad members were asking in the background if they could be the ones to go.