On Friday, September 26, the PA Varsity Cheer Team hosted a fundraiser, which offered many kids aged 5-11 the opportunity to experience cheering at a football game. The kids cheered for a quarter at the PA home game against Ocean Lakes.
“It was a fundraiser that we used to get materials and resources for the cheer team, and we taught the kids some cheers and cheer techniques, and we put them up in stunts,” sophomore Arielle Goelz, a second-year cheerleader, explained. “It was just a way to get them to want to do cheer in the future.”
Senior Sylvia Goelz commented on the game-like experience. “The game was really fun when they came in to cheer with us because I loved seeing how excited they were and how they interacted with the crowd,” she says.
Similarly, Arielle Goelz found that the game-like experience was “very interactive because all the parents were there cheering their kids on, and then the crowd was cheering and interacting with the kids a lot.”
Sophomore Bella Torres described the structure of the fundraiser. It was split into two days: one day for teaching and preparing the kids, and the other day, the kids cheered at the PA game. For attending these two days, the kids received a t-shirt that they wore to the game and a certificate.
To prepare for the game, the team taught simple cheer techniques and skills. “We taught them basic stunt skills like preps and halfs. Some of [the kids] that were already experienced, we put into an extension,” Arielle Goelz commented. “For tumbling, we let them do their own thing, and they would just roll around or do cartwheels,” she said.
Sylvia Goelz also added that they were taught many different jumps, including a hurdle jump and many others. Along with the cheer techniques, the kids learned sideline PA cheers to perform at the game, like the Color Shout and the PA Rumble.
Torres explained the steps of the day and how the day worked to teach them everything. “First, we took the kids to get them warmed up, and then we taught them some basic skills. After that, we then taught them some of our cheers,” she comments. “Later, the kids did some tumbling, and then we put them up into stunts.”
“This cheer kid’s clinic helps children develop their interest and their love for cheer,” Torres explained. “I think these skills will help the kids in the future when they are joining cheer teams and also help them develop a greater interest in this sport.”
Sylvia Goelz agreed, “I think it’s really fun and that the cheer team should really continue doing it, because I think that this is good for the kids to get a feel for what it could be like if they wanted to join a cheer team in the future.”
While learning more about cheerleading, “The kids looked so happy and excited at the game when cheering in front of the crowd and their parents,” Torres remarked.
The cheerleaders say they enjoyed this fundraiser, even while they were teaching. “My favorite part of the camp was meeting all the new people and forming new relationships and bonds with all of the little girls,” Arielle Goelz reflected.
“My favorite part was probably the little kids doing their cheers and skills and their smiling faces when they were doing everything,” Torres expressed.
