| Though the football game is why they came, | | | | cheerleading is actually competition season" says |
| many of the Shenendehowa Plainsmen fans stay | | | | Shen cheerleader Kayla St. Clair, "because the |
| for the Junior Varsity (JV) cheerleaders despite | | | | whole team has worked together to be |
| the bitter cold. Fans wonder how the girls can | | | | something amazing. |
| stand the weather in their small green and white | | | | When we get to competition and kick butt, we |
| uniforms. When the group in front of the stands | | | | feel awesome!" In the past few years, Shen's |
| starts their routine, filled with gymnastics and | | | | cheerleaders have become stars in the athletic |
| difficult choreography, the audience forgets about | | | | department, even though cheerleading is not |
| the cold as they are being mesmerized by the | | | | considered a sport at the school. "It is most |
| girls being hurled into the air in front of them. | | | | definitely a sport because we practice really hard" |
| These kinds of routines performed at school | | | | argues St. Clair. "It's not easy holding a girl above |
| games won the Shen JV cheerleaders first place, | | | | your head doing crazy things for over a minute. It |
| and a rather large trophy, at the Ultimate Cheer | | | | just takes a lot of hard work and (a lot of) time |
| Fest at Hudson Valley Community College held on | | | | to become a cheerleader and it's not what most |
| January 27th. Both the JV and Varsity teams won | | | | people think it is." Abrams says that the |
| top honors their respected divisions. | | | | cheerleading club advisors go through the same |
| Being a cheerleader requires physical strength and | | | | paces as other coaches throughout the school, |
| endurance, just like any other athlete. The season | | | | helping balance the club vs. sports status with the |
| lasts from the second week in August to the | | | | cheerleaders. "We are overseen by the athletic |
| second week in March. The try-outs for the | | | | department. We carry the same safety |
| squad prove that the few girls picked will be able | | | | certifications as other coaches, like CPR and first |
| to handle the workload. "(It's a) long and grueling | | | | aid. |
| process," JV Coach Jessica Abrams said. "The | | | | We go to the same coach seminars and we |
| first set of try-outs is for the football season. We | | | | meet with the athletic director (Matthew Jones) |
| condition the girls for two weeks, meaning you | | | | to go over the upcoming season," she said. |
| have to run a 10 minute mile, 40 pushups in 40 | | | | Though the training is grueling and long, with only |
| seconds, and 40 explosion sit-ups in 60 seconds." | | | | one day off per week, the connection between |
| This doesn't include the several other football and | | | | the coach and her team runs deep. "I've watched |
| basketball games that the cheerleaders perform in | | | | them grow. To see the tremendous amount of |
| throughout the year. In addition, the squad spends | | | | growth, it's incredible. It's like watching your kids |
| time preparing for competitions. The team tries to | | | | grow up. So much change happens, and to see |
| travel to as many competitions as possible, | | | | their progress as people. It's really the only reason |
| mostly getting through to local competitions, | | | | why I do this," she said. |
| including Suburban Council. "My favorite part of | | | | |