With the combined success of the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, the cheerleaders were there for it all this season – ready to pump up the crowd and the teams.
There was a new change to the team last fall, as Head Coach Moira Lafferty decided to combine the JV and varsity teams into one large varsity team.
“Due to numbers, we felt it was most beneficial to combine teams to make one large team. We had a team of 35 girls,” Lafferty said.
The change to the squad has appeared to be a challenging but ultimately rewarding decision in the end. A larger squad can help the team incorporate more intricate stunts and formations for their halftime performances.
“The large number of girls provided a learning experience for the newer girls as well as a fun experience for larger pyramids and more unique stunts,” Lafferty said.
Although they had a large squad during the fall football season, the coaches ultimately decided to divide the squad back into JV and varsity for the winter season due to the number of girls who tried out this season.
The current JV squad consists of seven girls, while the varsity squad has 27, 10 of which are seniors.
Senior cheerleaders were spotlighted during senior night on Thursday, January 22nd. Senior captain Evellyn Souza-Silva described it as “bittersweet.”
“I’m grateful for all the memories and growth cheer has given me, but it’s also emotional knowing this chapter’s coming to an end,” Souza-Silva said.
Souza-Silva shared the role of captain with her fellow teammates Ryan Cartony, Olivia Ruggieri, and Marissa Daniels.
When reflecting on her time as a CHS cheerleader, Souza-Silva stated, “I felt a mix of excitement, gratitude, and sadness. It was emotional realizing how fast the time has gone, but I was proud to celebrate everything we’ve accomplished.”
To add to the excitement and accomplishments of the cheer squad, the girls’ basketball team had a record-breaking season with a 30-2 record.
Sophomore Taylor Hanna said she looked forward to cheering on the Lady Pirates.
“Doing girls’ games is really fun. We look forward to them, and the environment is really, really good, and they cheer with us, which makes it fun,” Hanna said.
The squad enjoys performing in front of a big crowd, ready to show off their school spirit for fellow classmates.
“When you cheerlead, it makes it so much more fun to cheer when your team is winning. The success of the girls’ basketball team has not only been fun to watch as a spectator, but made our girls more excited to contribute to the positivity and excitement of the girls’ basketball team’s success,” Lafferty said. “The girls also love cheering for the boys’ basketball team, shoutout Coach Fries!”
