By Matt Pascarella
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| (L to R) Windham Youth Cheerleading flyers Ava Laney, left, Morgan Bell, Valentina Grazoc, Harper Daigle and Charlee Prokey from the sixth to eighth grade team at WYC’s showcase at Windham High School on Wednesday, Nov. 5. PHOTO BY GIANNA LANE |
Windham Youth Cheerleading program has been a sideline program for kindergarten through eighth grade for the last 10 years. They cheer for the Windham Youth Football program from flag to tackle. The 10-week program has grown exponentially over the last three years, totaling over 100 athletes. At the end of the WYC season, the teams put on a showcase to highlight all their hard work. The showcase is not scored and is about providing encouragement, celebration and having fun.
“I think that our program has grown so much in the last several years because there has never been a robust sideline cheering program for young athletes,” said assistant sixth grade to eighth grade coach Stacy Davis. “In years past, some athletes were only exposed to cheer once they entered high school. Many believe that they need to commit to competition cheer ... our program allows for a different form of cheer that may suit other families. We also try very hard to make this program financially accessible. We have the ability to provide financial scholarship to athletes should this be needed, as we never want the financial burden to affect participation.”
The program is considered a feeder program for the high school, so the job of coaches at WYC is to make sure the girls are aware of any new cheers the high school is using. WYC works closely with the high school cheering squad that serves as a role model to the younger group. The coaches start the younger groups out with the basics and progress up to more complex skills for the older kids.
This year’s showcase featured five teams, all grouped by grade, and they show friends and family their routines which include cheers, jumps, stunts and tumbling.
Participants of WYC begin cheering on the field in kindergarten. It’s fun for individuals to cheer on friends and classmates.
Eighth grader Rosie Dumont has been participating in WYC since she was in first grade. She was a dancer and loved uniforms, pompoms and the sass of cheerleading. She always loved being on stage, doing routines.
“Having great coaches that push me to try things that are
hard for me or that I don't have confidence in yet (have made me a better
cheerleader),” said Dumont. “This program builds strength and confidence and
gives you happiness after you complete a routine. It teaches you that
you have to work hard to achieve your goals; cheering is a
very competitive and difficult sport. Having good teammates and coaches
makes a huge difference. If an athlete wants to do cheerleading, they should
because it's a rewarding sport.”
Dumont loves participating in the showcase every year. She said it went really well this year. Her stunt groups hit every stunt nicely. Dumont said performing in the showcase is awesome because you see all of the different age levels perform, and you get to reflect on your own progress. Dumont plans to cheer in high school and wants to see how far her potential can go.
Third grader Bristol Grondin started cheerleading through WYC when she was in kindergarten but took a couple years off because she felt she wasn’t ready. She really wanted to join WYC because she saw her sister, who is also involved in the program in a cheer competition last year; seeing her sister in the competition made Grondin want to join back up and be just like one of them.
“I was happy with what we did,” said Grondin about this year’s showcase. “I think my team did an awesome job cheering for the other teams and showcase. I was excited to see how good we did. I also enjoyed to see all our families there to cheer us on. My favorite thing about Windham Youth Cheerleading is I really like the stunts, dances, and I like to show off what I have learned. I ended up learning my front walk over. I’m very proud of myself and my team.”
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