The Ballard High School Cheerleading team has done something the 2003 football and the 2005 track and field team could not do - win a state championship.

The cheerleaders won a state title on March 25 during the Washington State Cheerleading Association Championship.

A week earlier at a national invitational, Ballard took fifth place.

This is the second Washington State Cheerleading Association Championship in three years for Ballard. They also won in 2004.

"So far we are having a good year. In one week, we became nationally ranked and state champion," said Head Coach Nancy Ellen Ellster.

Ballard was very familiar with the other top schools in the state. Going to the United Spirit Association National First Invitational Competition on March 17-19 was a different matter.

The Beavers competed against schools they had never seen before. The schools were from Idaho, Utah, Canada, Arizona and other states.

"It was a bigger pool with schools from all over. The atmosphere was more intense, more exciting. It was more difficult than we have encountered," said Ellster.

The four teams placing ahead of Ballard did full squad tumbling. Tumbling is normally done by only a few girls with the Beavers squad who have gymnastics experience.

The Beavers capped off 2005 with a performance with 16 other schools at a Seattle Seahawks game.

Cheerleaders are considered school ambassadors, representing Ballard High at games and events like orientation, parent night and school reunions.