Sports: Cheerleading

Welcome to the 48th Annual Lakota Nation Cheerleading Championship!

Dear Coaches,

It is with great excitement that we welcome you and your teams to the 48th Annual Lakota Nation Cheerleading Championship! We are thrilled to have you join us for this incredible event.

Upon completing your team registration, I will reach out via email with a link for our Coaches’ Meeting, which will be held virtually on December 2, 2025. During this meeting, I will share all important updates, including the pre-competition choreography video and music for the Pre-Competition Dance. This special performance will take place before we kick off the main competition on Saturday, December 20th in the Summit Arena at the Rapid City Monument, beginning at 11:00 a.m. sharp.

Please make sure to download and thoroughly review your Coaches’ Packet, which contains all the critical information you’ll need for this year’s LNI event. During the Coaches’ Meeting, we will also finalize the competition line-up for the Cheer Dance Competition, and you will have the chance to address any questions you may have as we prepare for the big day.

I have also included a handy checklist in the Coaches’ Packet to help you keep track of key dates and deadlines. Should any questions arise before the Coaches’ Meeting, feel free to reach out to me at any time. I am here to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for you and your teams.

I’m looking forward to an exciting and memorable championship, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing talent that will be showcased this year!

Registration is INVITE ONLY.

Each school must bring one line judge. Submit your workers name to Dani Walking Eagle one week in advance.

All other tournament positions will be staffed by LNI.

Head Referee – Joe Drabb

Each school must submit a 15 player rooster and team photo two weeks prior to the tournament. Please send to Katie at Clark Printing, katie@clarkprinting.com. If the deadline is missed, schools will not be in the program.

There will be not practice times as games being Friday morning.

Locker rooms will be available.

Please turn in your rooster to the announcers before game starts.

The tournament follows SDHSAA rules, policies, and conduct procedures.

Format for the tournament is a Round Robin style of play with four pools.

Scoring will be best of 3.

Rally scoring to 25 for the first 2 games and if 3rd game is needed, play goes to 25.

The tournament will be a single-elimination tournament, at the end of pool play we will be cross-bracketing the top team in each pool.

We will be using 4 courts throughout the tournament so please keep your team in the arena as the first game is the only set game time. Games from that point on will be on the first available court.

During the first round only, each team will have a warm-up of 4-8-8 after the first round we will start as soon as the books are ready to go, no serving.

Please keep your team in the arena so that we may keep to the schedule.

Grand Entry will be Saturday after pool play. Lineup will be in packet

Crystal will be given out to teams in 1st – 4th place

The Championship team will receive 18 Championship jackets

Individual crystal will be given out for Most Valuable Player, Outstanding Setter, Outstanding Hitter, Best Defensive Player, and Team Sportsmanship

Each coach will pick one player for All Tournament