Vibrant, spirited and enthusiastic are ways you can describe them. Rain or shine, you can be certain that they will be there. Whether it is in the hallways or on game day, the WHS cheerleaders bring school spirit and high energy to the Blue Devils community, and it’s time they get the credit they deserve.
All 28 cheerleaders pride themselves on trust, hard work, and dedication: attributes that are necessary as a cheerleader but often overlooked. Senior captain Olivia Lawrence said, “When people say cheerleading isn’t a sport, I would say that they’ve never done it before. A lot of what we do, especially during practice, is really dangerous and physically demanding. Throwing girls in the air takes a lot of physical strength and conditioning. Maybe it’s not a competitive sport, especially not at the high school level, but it is definitely physically challenging and more difficult than people think.”
Co-head coach Caitlyn Altieri has been working for the WHS cheer squad for seven years and was a dancer and tumbler until she was twenty-three years old. She said, “It is a very physically taxing sport to do. The girls are throwing each other above their heads, and there is a high risk of injury that comes with a lot of the stunts that we do,” She also added, “In a stunt group, there are four girls and each one has to do their job, otherwise it’s not safe. So, I think it’s as much of a sport as any other physical activity that’s done for high school.”
The team dedicates hours on hours every week, practicing on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and spending weekends at the football games. Not only do the cheerleaders devote their time during football season, but their preseason consists of hard work at a Rutgers Camp spanning over two weeks. Co-head coach Jillian Scott said, “For a summer camp, they teach us parts of the halftime routine, so they help choreograph a dance for us. They’ll teach us some stunts to put into the routine, and then we kind of put it all together for the year.”
Team environment is something that they take great pride in, always making sure they are positive and welcoming. “All of the girls get really close, really fast,” said Lawrence. “We do a lot of team bonding activities at the end of the summer, so it’s a really good environment. I know that I always have someone there that I can turn to.” According to Lawrence, team bonding consists of, “dinners, TPing rookie’s houses and giving each other candy and gifts.”
Yet another event they have contributed to is the Pink Out Game which is an annual game dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness month. This year, the football team, marching band and cheerleaders worked together to raise about $1,500 for Pathways Women’s Cancer Support.
Next time you’re at a football game, watching all their fascinating routines and stunts, make sure to appreciate all the hard work and practice that goes into their performance.
