As the national anthem commences, the cheer team gathers on the track to welcome football players to the field.
From learning different cheers and dances to tumbling and stunts, these girls spend hours at practice perfecting their performance for the crowds that attend each game. Over the years, the cheer team has played a part in an abundance of sporting events like football and basketball, cheering on the school from the sidelines and performing complex stunts.
Placed in front of judges at cheer tryouts, sophomore Bella Strug implements what she has learned in her past years as a cheerleader.
“We had to learn two cheers and a dance and show off our tumbling and stunting skills,” Bella said. “Tryouts were a bit nerve-wracking, but they were worth it.”
“The tryout process for MHS cheer was amazing for me. It was so fun learning all the cheers and dances, and I loved meeting the coaches and new people,” freshman Gianna Strug said.
The efforts of these girls paid off in the end: both are now on the varsity team.
The cheer team’s season includes multiple performances that require a lot of energy and body mobility accompanied by communication skills. All of these characteristics are developed throughout their practices.
Sophomore Chloe Hershman, along with the rest of the Varsity team, warms up before the strenuous work ahead.
“The training process consists of three days of practice a week, the weekend practices not included.” Hershman said. “During the week before a football game, we prepare what we want to show at games. Varsity then practices for our competitions.”
These girls are very busy, from going to weights in the mornings to conditioning and stunt work during the hours-long practices throughout the week. This heavy time commitment can be a lot to balance on an already heavy plate.
“Balancing cheer and schoolwork can be tough,” Bella said. “We have to be really organized and use our time wisely.”
While frequently working on their cheers, the team developed ways to implement fun events into their intense practices.
“Our favorite thing to do is some stunting with our own groups or learning new cheers from our captains Faye [Renwald] and Amaya [Szwed],” junior Leona Velasquez-Noel said.
“During competition practices, we spend three hours going over and over our routine,” Velasquez-Noel said. “I see these girls 5-6 times a week for hours at a time. I see them more than my own family, so over time, it’s kind of like we’re all sisters. We are all so close: it truly is like one big family.”
