Athletes of their own

Rally squad membership a lot of work

An airborne Jaclyn Sandler puts her faith in fellow cheerleaders, from left, Katey Landowski, Morgan Coleman and Jessica Thompson, during a recent rally squad practice at Del Norte High School. (The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson)

It might not be obvious to most fans who go to Del Norte High football and basketball games, but it’s not easy being a cheerleader.

They practice for hours each day making sure their routines are just right, many times learning new moves, dances and stunts for Del Norte High’s next football or basketball game.

They also need to be athletes in their own right. Stunts include tossing fellow cheerleaders high into the air and catching them. They endure their fair share of bumps and bruises.

“It takes a lot of work to prepare for one game,” senior cheerleader Bridgette Mayo said. “People don’t see how much effort it takes just to get one good stunt down.”

“No one keeps our score, but we work hard to entertain the crowd,” Mayo said.

Cheerleaders, from left, Shaylee Travis, Valerie Galindo and Gracie Gromacki practice a routine.(The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson)

At a Tuesday practice, the girls were perfecting their routines under the watchful eye of head coach Wendy Hartwick as they got ready for the final football game of the season.

They worked on their moves for one routine, making sure everyone was on the same page.

Later, members flew through the air in more elaborate stunts. The majority of the girls have been doing this since they were little, with some starting as young as 5. The team member who took up the activity the latest began in seventh grade.

Hartwick said that the cheer squad was learning two new routines to add to the several they already have learned during football season.

“They have a lot of routines in their heads,” she said.

This is the second year Hartwick has been head cheer coach.

A 1987 Del Norte graduate, she was a cheerleader herself  and is proud to be passing on her knowledge to this group of girls.

“It’s exciting to be part of this again,” she said. This has been an awesome group. They are dedicated and work hard on their routines and work at it until it looks good ... they have come so far in two years.”

Hartwick said there has always been the stigma that cheerleaders are supposed “to be pretty and do a few motions and that’s it. It’s not that way anymore.”

“You have to start at an young age,” she said. “You can’t obtain these skills overnight.”

Mayo said team member needs to know her job perfectly so accidents do not occur. That’s why practices are so important so any kinks can be worked out and injuries don’t occur on game day; especially stunts that require throwing and catching a girl.

“You need to be prepared,” she said.

But injuries do occur, Hartwick said, and occasionally a cheerleader is unable to perform on game night due to injury.

Senior Morgan Coleman said when she started cheerleading, some members of her family did not consider it a sport.

When they saw all the work and athletic ability it took, they changed their minds.

“Now they know it’s a sport,” she said.

Senior Valerie Galindo said there is an unfair perception that cheerleading is not a sport.

“We practice every day just like every sport,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun. But it takes a lot of work to be successful.”

While the last football game was Friday night, cheerleading season is far from over.

Basketball is coming up, and Hartwick said work will begin in earnest starting next week to prepare new routines suited to a gymnasium instead of a football field.

Rally squad members at Friday night’s football game. (The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson)