As the cheerleaders took their place at center court, a hush fell over the crowd. They got in their places, cowboy hats tipped and boots in position, ready to start the choreography they had been practicing for weeks. The first few beats of the Demi Lovato song “Confident” blared through the speakers, and the cheer team began their routine at the Fall Festival, every synchronized movement, chant, and step the result of weeks of work and practice.
“This year was our first time performing at the Fall Festival, and we had a ‘Wild West’ theme,” cheer team captain and digital arts and photography sophomore Sophie Jones said. “It was very fun, but at the same time, it was also very stressful.”
The school’s cheer team currently has 38 members spanning all grades — their largest team yet , and they prepare for their performances by holding weekly practices to improve their routines. While they mainly perform cheers during home basketball games, they also have had performances in other events, such as the Fall Festival and New Student Invasion. According to cheer coach and guidance secretary Kettia Nesbitt, all of their work eventually “crescendoes to the Pep Rally in March.”
“Watching them do their thing from now to March is just crazy because of the dedication and the things that they can do because they put their time and effort in,” Coach Nesbitt said.
Coach Nesbitt described herself as being more of a “sponsor” for the team as it is mostly student-led with practices led by the team’s seven captains: Jones, theatre junior Lucy Quigley, dance junior Cyn’Nierria Blackshear, theatre senior Jaime Hillaire, visual senior Melanie Schmidt, communications senior Kendall Lamotte, and vocal senior Nashley Samedy. Each captain has their own responsibilities: Quigley acts as the conditioning captain, while the other captains are designated to be in charge of specific routines. Jones explained that the team “alternates” between which captains are showing or teaching new cheers or choreography.
“The ideas and routines come from the (students),” Coach Nesbitt said. “I’ll give them input, but other than that, I just sit back and let the captains work their magic.”
During their practices from 4 to 6 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, the team is assisted by team manager and communications junior Miya McKenzie. McKenzie said that she works alongside the team captains to keep the team organized and ensure that the team executes routines with “sharp cleanliness.”
“My role entails overseeing the team, managing events, promoting team spirit, handling communications and attendance, and reporting to the coach when needed,” McKenzie said.
Team practices usually begin with warmups, stretches, and cardio exercises led by the team’s designated conditioning captain, Quigley. From there, the team reviews the choreography for previous cheers. Afterward, the captains perform new ones to demonstrate to the other members.
“The captains show (the other cheerleaders) how the routines are supposed to look first because concepts are easier to grasp when they see what it’s supposed to look like,” Jones said. “Then we break down the choreography and slowly add everything together.”
McKenzie describes the team’s practices as being a “balance of fun and focus,” with the captains keeping the other members in line and ensuring that every routine is learned, while Coach Nesbitt maintains order and “brings the team back in” if they get off task.
“(The captains) keep the energy high with teamwork, music, and encouragement but stay serious when it’s time to perfect routines, stunts, and timing so (they) perform their best,” McKenzie said.
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The team captains’ leadership position includes managing practices and teaching routines, but also forming a connection and positive environment amongst the cheerleaders. Theatre sophomore Hannah Leger said that the captains lead the team with “creativity, open-mindedness, and discipline.”
“(The captains) have definitely helped me become better at making sure my moves are precise and having more creativity with the routines,” Leger said.
Leger added that being on the cheer team has encouraged her to “branch out” more and try new things that she otherwise would not have given any thought to beforehand.
“Since my freshman year, everyone has been so supportive, and I’ve definitely made new friendships along the way, friends whom I now speak with daily instead of only at practices,” Leger said. “I think I’ve definitely improved my confidence.”
Jones says that school cheer is an “easy-going environment” compared to her former competitive cheer team, which was “strict and stressful,” explaining that school cheer allows her to “just breathe,” and to adjust to her new role as a captain.
“Being a captain as a sophomore gets challenging because there are a lot of girls who are older than me,” Jones said. “But it made me gain a sense of confidence because at the end of the day, I’m still a leader, and that’s just something that I have to overcome.”
Coach Nesbitt said that the skills picked up by all members of the cheer team could be applied to “anything and everything” in life.
“Compassion, caring for other people, persistence, and hard work all encompass what the team does to make their routines look good,” Coach Nesbitt said, “They can apply it to their schoolwork, to their jobs, and in life as well.”
While Coach Nesbitt described the team as working as “one team for one dream,” she believes that each individual member has acquired the skills they need not only to make their chants and cheers successful, but their futures as well.