High school cheer lead elementary girls toward cheering for football game

The field lights up with football players darting around, focusing on their last play before a break. Whoever scores will determine the outcome of the first half of the game. The opposing team’s minor support becomes inaudible compared to the FC side.

The noise roots for the home football players through loud screaming, clapping and chants. Some players, standing on the sidelines begin to fist pump in the air, mimicking the crowd behind them.

As the ball is hiked, the Eagles make an interception and the crowd roars. Pom poms rustle and organized chants are lead with a certain spunk that only a few people have. These cheerleaders, with their high ponytails and unforgettable smiles stand below the bleachers, leading the crowd in a trademark chant everyone knows, but this time with a twist.

A few special guests have arrived and their cuteness factor breaks the scale. A chorus of “awes” sounds from the crowd and many parents with cameras accessible stand to see their child.

The elementary girls in full cheerleader clothing and pom poms ready suck in a deep breath and follow the older girl’s dance moves. Their ponytails bob up and down as they shake their pom poms and step in rhythm with each other.

More “awes” sound from the crowd and a wave of cheering and clapping vibrates the bleachers. Grins, some with missing front teeth, and waves thank the crowd and walk off to greet proud parents. These are the cheerleaders-in-training. The elementary girls that have big dreams to become just like the high school cheerleaders.

FC’s annual Cheer Clinic begins, Oct. 6. It provides a unique opportunity for elementary girls to become cheerleaders for a week. Through their time spent practicing, they learn skills taught by the high school cheerleaders including: stunting, dancing and game cheers.

Cheer coach, Courtney Raymundo, oversees the program and has loved it ever since she joined three years ago.

“I love cheer clinic,” Raymundo said. “It takes a lot of preparation before hand, but when you get to see these young girls perform on Friday night it is completely worth it! I also enjoy watching my girls become leaders.”

I love cheer clinic, It takes a lot of preparation before hand, but when you get to see these young girls perform on Friday night it is completely worth it! I also enjoy watching my girls become leaders. –Courtney Raymundo

The clinic gives young girls training for future varsity cheerleader goals. At the end of the week they will be able to cheer along side the older girls at a high school football game.

Tami Grimmius, mother of Amanda Grimmius, ’19, enjoys the program and sees it as a way for younger girls to receive first hand experience.

“It’s wonderful to see the interaction between the younger and older girls,” Grimmius said. “My oldest daughter, Amanda, developed a love for cheering because of her participation in past cheer clinics.”

First grader, Tatianna Arezaga, enjoyed her first time at the clinic last year.

“It was really fun,” Arezaga said. “We did cheers. ‘Go Bananas’ was my favorite cheer.”

Brooklynn Ainley, ’17, described her time last year. She enjoyed being a teacher to the younger girls and liked seeing them get so excited over it. This year she will take on a new job: teaching stunting.

“I liked being able to teach something and have the little girls get so excited about being a cheerleader and being able to cheer at a football game,” Ainley said. “This year I don’t have an age group I’m teaching stunting so that’s going to be different because I didn’t do that last year so that’ll be exciting.”

The game will be held on the FC north field, Oct. 10. The elementary girls will be cheering for the first half of the game.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @nhudecek16 or through email at [email protected].