Ms. Flanagan, Cheer Varsity Coach, said that she  thought her Cheerleading team did a great job on the first football trip. They were energetic, supportive and really helped energize the crowd and players. Also she added it’s always great to have this kind of support on the road and I think our cheerleaders played a big role in our team’s success that day. Overall, she was very satisfied with their performance and can’t wait to see what they bring to the next match. About the current season Ms. Flanagan said that the team is preparing with commitment and determination the choreography for the Homecoming assembly, which will take place this September 29th. As a coach, she always encourages her cheerleading team to be confident and well prepared for each performance. “I’m sure they had some nervousness before the first trip, especially considering the added pressure of performing in front of a new audience in an unfamiliar environment. But we worked hard in practice to iron out any issues and make sure they were ready to go. In the end, I think their hard work paid off and they delivered a great performance” said Ms. Flanagan. She said that cheerleaders had performance nervousness or anxiety, concern about possible mistakes or falls, and about group synchronization and cohesion. The group was especially worried about the weather conditions outside as the performance takes place outdoors and before the start they declared that it had started to rain.

Usually it is not a problem to perform in the rain but certainly everyone is affected by the cold and if the rain is too heavy the football match is interrupted. “I always work  with my team to help reduce these concerns through practice, building trust and group cohesion, and proper preparation” said Ms. Flanagan. Concerning the first away football game, Lizzie, varsity cheerleader, said they enjoyed the time so much ; ”definitely,  we had a lot of fun at our first away performance! It wasn’t easy, as it was a very long and demanding day, but we prepared ourselves to face any obstacle. Even though the rain put us to the test, we were able to perform the choreography successfully and kept the energy high to support our team. We are proud to have represented our school and hope to have more opportunities to perform in the future!” Said Lizzie , varsity cheerleader. Also added Lizzie “ we felt happy and satisfied with our work! Yes, we may be tired, but the feeling of having performed a good performance totally outweighs the tiredness”. Furthermore, Lizzie explained how the team organizes itself to choose captains; she said that typically, cheerleading squad captains are chosen through a selection process by the coach and the team. There are several factors that could influence the selection of captains, including experience. Usually, captains are chosen from among the most experienced cheerleaders, who have spent the most time on the team. However, experience is not enough, skill, commitment and personal characteristics are also fundamental: captains should be positive, motivated and respectful people, capable of encouraging and motivating the other members of the team.

The Varsity team captains are Kiki, Carter and Braydin. “For us they are three figures who are a source of inspiration, they encourage us to do our best and to perform together with passion and determination. I personally speak for the entire team and we are impressed by their leadership skills and charisma. What is really essential to us is that they always represent the team at their best, keep it together, guide us and motivate us. We are all very happy with our captains, they compete and work to make sure the team is ready for every performance and that everyone on the team is happy and satisfied” enjoyed Lizzie. 

As Lizzie said, in this first away game, the Thunderbird’s football team won 122-42 against Prescott High School. It was incredible! landslide victory for the Titans! They were all united and determined from the start of the match. They worked hard during training and finally everything paid off. They showed our strength and determination on the sideline, they danced and sang together. “We are a winning team! I am proud of each of my teammates and can’t wait to celebrate this incredible victory together!” said Lizzie