SANTA CLARITA GIRLS CHEER UP A STORM.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

Cheerleading competition rule No. 1: smile. Rule No. 2: show enthusiasm. Rule No. 3: never, never, never cry in front of the judges - even if your squad comes in last.

For the hundreds of young girls who tumbled, bounced and screamed during the 1996 Pacific Youth Cheerleading competition Sunday, these rules are taken seriously.

``Whatever the reason, it's a good sport. It teaches teamwork and discipline, and teaches them to take pride in what they do and who they are,'' said Kathie Eastham, cheer director for the Santa Clarita Warriors.

Eastham said yearly competitions are a healthy way for girls to show off their teamwork, sportsmanship and coordination. But even healthy competition can have sad results, Eastham admitted.

``If you're a winner, it's great - but if you're the one who didn't win, it's not so great,'' Eastham said. ``The younger girls don't get too disappointed. But the 13- to 14-year-olds take it really hard when they lose.''

Youth cheerleading is an activity outside of school offered to girls from age 4 to 14. While many girls join to make new friends and have fun, others use youth cheerleading to get a head start on talents they will need to make it on a high school cheerleading squad, Eastham explained.

The Warriors joined teams from all over Ventura County including the Camarillo Roadrunners, Fillmore Raiders, Newbury Park Steelers and the Westlake Braves.

``Last year, we didn't win, and I was disappointed,'' admitted Julie Horlick, 11, of the Newbury Park Steelers. ``But we tried our best and that's all we could do. It was still exciting.''

This year, the Steelers strutted their stuff to a hip-hop tune hoping to impress a handful of Lakers cheerleaders who judged the event. Wearing their black and gold uniforms with hair ribbons to match, the spry Steelers showed off a routine that they have spent months working to perfect.

Eleven-year-old Steeler Emily Eddy had one goal in mind: ``I want to win,'' the youngster said.

Since the summer, the 8- to 14-year-olds have sacrificed their free time and young social lives to learn new routines and practice cheers for Sunday's event. The girls were judged on their formations, gymnastics, dance moves and stunts.

Paula Wessels, cheer director for the Steelers, said the biggest misconception about cheerleading is that it's easy.

``Cheerleading is a sport,'' Wessels said. ``It's a commitment. It's a lot of hard work.''

Teri Markley, a team mom for the Camarillo Roadrunners, said the competition gave the girls a taste of what they will face in the real world in the future.

``Life is competitive,'' Markley said. ``Not everything is going to go your way 100 percent of the time.''

Francis Rodriguez, 12, said she joined the Fillmore Raiders two years ago to be with her friends. Did she have her heart set on winning Sunday?

``Not really,'' Francis said. ``I'm just here to enjoy myself.''

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Photo: (color) Jennifer Alvarez of the Santa Clarita Junior Two team shows her form during the Pacific Youth Cheerleading competition held on Sunday.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News