With two new coaches, the cheerleading team is shaking things up this season. New head coach Victoria Vanoni has been preparing the girls since August, working hard at cheer camp for their new routines and stunts.
 
“I think [Vanoni’s] experience and her skill definitely brings more to the varsity squad,” assistant coach Ann Barcellona said.
 
Vanoni has several goals for her first season as head coach.
 
“This year, what I want for them is to try to do new things and new stunts, do new cheers – just everything in general,” Vanoni said.
 
In addition to new stunts, the team is building new relationships together, as well as welcoming new cheerleaders.
 
“We’re doing a lot of team bonding outside of cheer, which really helps us become a family and get together,” Carina Lopac said. “We do a lot of stuff outside, to build our relationship.”
 
“We are having a lot of outside practice and outside games (hangouts) together so that they can feel more welcomed and look up to us, but at the same time be able to talk to us about anything,” Gianna Cassara said.
 
Besides bonding, the team has been working hard since the beginning of August, at summer practices during cheer camp. This has partially been in preparation for Sept. 7’s start of school pep rally, where the team performed for the first time.
 
One member of the team that stands out is senior Gianna Cassara. She has been a member of the cheer team for four years. The two year varsity cheerleader is one of three captains on the team, and has stepped up her leadership with the newer members of the team.
 
“We are trying to put an emphasis on having team hang outs so we are friends on the field and off,” Cassara said.
 
She hopes the team can step up their difficulty level this year with new stunts and changing up their choreography.
 
“We are trying a lot of new stances[s] and a lot of new harder things,” Cassara said. “The team has really stepped up this year and the other captains and I are excited to see what the season brings.”
 
The team is also looking to become competitive this coming winter.
 
“Ultimately my goal would be to lead them towards a competition team; if not this year, then next year,” Vanoni said.
 
Becoming a competitive team would involve going to competitions against other cheerleading teams in the area. This would also involve more routines and cheers that would be performed in front of judges.
 
“Hopefully we can surprise you guys and give you something entertaining to watching – some things that you’ve never seen before,” Cassara said.