Cheer is back. Recently coming off of a strong fall season, it’s straight back to work for the squad. 

In their debut home game on Nov. 29 at Beardsley Gym for the girl’s basketball win against Simeon High School, the cheer team had a well-embraced performance, a great way to start off the season with high expectations. 

“This season we pretty much have three back-to-back competitions, so we’re learning a lot of new skills, and it’s intense. There’s a lot of pressure on us especially because we’re hosting one of them at the school,” senior cheer member Hannah Afolabi said.

With most members returning from the fall season, the chemistry of the team is already in place. They’re hoping to utilize their elevated chemistry to swing them to success. 

“[The team’s work ethic is] one that I can say I’m proud of. Many people believe that cheer isn’t a sport, but I feel that we work as hard as any other sports team and should be given recognition. All I know is putting people in the air isn’t easy, and my team does a great job of executing those skills despite the bumps and bruises,”  Afolabi explained.

The cheer squad is looking forward to an unforgettable season with head coach Crystal Malone at the helm.

“Coach Malone invested a lot of her time into not only the varsity team but JV as well. Her style of coaching is one of a kind, and she pushes us beyond our measures but only because she can spot out the potential we have to be more than just the ‘average’ cheerleader,” Afolabi said.

The future’s looking bright for these young cheerleaders. They will be cheering tonight in Beardsley Gym at 7:30 p.m.