CC cheerleaders winter season
Did you know that the CCHS cheerleaders cheer for the girls’ basketball team as well as the boy’s basketball team in the winter season? Victoria Fadden ’14 comments that it was “awkward initially, but it gets better throughout the game.”
The cheer team practices every day after school for three hours to prepare their routines, which consist of short but powerful chants to rouse the crowd. On Wednesdays, the cheerleaders practice stunts with a demanding, yet helpful coach.
During the recent boys’ basketball game against the Waltham Hawks, the cheer team sprinted onto the gym floor between timeouts, eyes bright and chins up, and struck their first pose with extreme enthusiasm. Every time a CC basketball player scored a foul shot, the cheer team shouted encouragement. The roar of the “defense” chant increased the intense atmosphere of the room. Fadden admits that her biggest challenge, as an individual, is to overcome the fear of “showing off routines in front of the school.” Asia Chanel ’13 is getting used to assuming different positions during stunts. She explains, “I used to fly, but now I back.”
A few cheerleaders admit that their team started the season with a little drama, stemming from a lack of communication between the team members. Many people do not realize the extensive teamwork that is crucial to cheerleading. One example of such teamwork is when flyers – people who are lifted by three or four squad mates to do stunts – must put all their trust in their teammates, who are completely in charge of their safety.  Many would be very frightened about attempting the feat. Luckily, the team has resolved its issues and continues to collaborate ideas.
When asked about basketball season compared to football season, Danielle Gordon ’13 answered, “football [season] has a better atmosphere; the field is better, more people in the crowd, less drama, and overall more fun.” However, she notes that “fans get more into the game at basketball games.”
Overall the cheer team has become close as a result of the long practices and team spirit. Perhaps bonding over the “awkwardness” of cheering for the girl’s basketball team also helped.
