Katie Brown, 13, of Fargo, is shown shortly after North Dakota Elite competed in a national cheer championship at a Dallas, Texas convention center on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Brown, her teammates and their families were caught up in an active shooter scare at the center the day before, prompting cancellation of the meet for the rest of the day.

In what may be her final cheer season, Christina Ellis missed a landing and injured her knee on one of the sport’s biggest competitive stages — but she kept going, pushing through to finish the routine.