Name a sport where 30 athletes all compete at the same time with equal parts strength, agility, synchronization and enthusiasm, and where they jump higher than basketball players, tumble like gymnasts and launch fellow athletes 15 feet in the air.
That’s right, it’s cheerleading.
‘They are certainly among our school’s best athletes,? said Head Coach Nancy DeAvila of her cheer squad, adding ‘and cheerleaders are truly among our state’s best female athletes.?
This year’s team has eight seniors and 22 juniors, some of whom have competed at the varsity level for three or four years, and are experienced in rounds one and two of playoffs. Those new to the squad have a revitalizing effect for older members, according to the coach.
‘We will be introducing four brand new flyers in round three – none of whom have ever flown in any round of competition at the high school level,? she said.
Last year’s squad won the district championship and placed high enough at regionals to attend states.
‘This was a great accomplishment,? said DeAvila, as the competition format reduced the number of teams qualifying for finals from 10 to eight.
With the coming competitive season come more changes and possibly new challenges with different district and regional competitors, according to the coach.
‘However, I can see that this year’s team has the ability to successfully navigate that road as the determination and drive of this team is at a level not seen in recent years,? she said.
DeAvila says short-term goals for the team are to ‘mesh the talent with team unity? and ‘come together as one complete unit? to get athletes competing at the level last year’s team ended on.
She notes current team members are quality athletes, giving the team more potential than in past years.
‘We need to translate that into learning how to be a competitor,? DeAvila said.
Anchoring the team are captains Chiara Allen, Samantha Smart, Lisa Galass and Brianne Andersson. They’ll lead their squad against Rochester, Stoney Creek, Troy and Troy Athens ? teams DeAvila says are their toughest competition.
Squads on the western side of the state in the Ottawa-Kent Red conference as well as Sterling Heights Stevenson, Southgate Anderson and Hartland are strong competitors in regional and state play.