The Sun City Poms recently took home first place in the Specialty and Performance Groups category for their performance in the Honoring America’s Veterans Veterans Day Parade, Phoenix. The theme for this year’s parade was America, Our Guiding Light.
There were 11 total awards handed out at the ceremony. The top two finishers were invited, but weren’t told if they had won until the official announcement.
Poms President Sherry Cantrell said she expected them to be awarded first place.
“Kathy does such a wonderful job each year,” she said.
Kathy Villa, marching director, takes great pride in what the Poms do.
“We truly work hard,” she said. “We practice hard. Not only do we have to learn the routine, we have to learn the precision of the movements, the timing of the song.”
She said they first started learning the routine inside before taking to the streets, where they put it all together. The whole process started months ago, well before the parade. This year, they marched to “God Bless America.”
The parade is 2.5 miles long, and the Poms marched the entire length. Villa said everyone was sweating by the end, but that it was all worth it.
“The smiles are intoxicating,” she said. “Everywhere you look, it seems to be an incredibly enjoyable experience for everybody there.”
Chrys Main, Poms member, said she had an unusual experience at this year’s parade because she got to lead the group, marching up front.
“When they announced us and we turned that corner, the energy and applause was absolutely amazing,” she said. “It was so inspirational. I felt like a really famous celebrity.”
She added that it was humbling for her to be at the front and get to experience that kind of welcome and applause.
Cantrell said this is something the Poms always look forward to. They have been marching in this parade since the early 2000s, and plan to march for years to come.
“As a group, it’s our way of celebrating patriotism and, probably more importantly, it’s our way of honoring our veterans and showing appreciation for those who have served,” she said. “That’s why we do it.”
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Zev Black
| Reporter | | Sun City/Carefree
Community: I live in Phoenix but am covering Sun City and Carefree.
Education: I graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in sports journalism.
Random Fact: My little league all-star team was a win away from reaching the juniors Little League World Series. The next season, we were two wins away from the same feat.
Hobbies: I love spending any amount of time outside! Whether that’s hiking, swimming, playing catch with friends or just sitting in the sun, you can almost always find me doing something in nature.