The bleachers are full of friends and family from multiple towns. Cheerleaders in full uniform hold young cheerleaders in their arms, as they playfully converse with each other. The air is full of laughter and excitement as the crowd waits for the performances to begin.
Westford Academy Varsity Cheer (WAVC) will host an annual cheer exhibition where cheerleaders of all ages will be able to join together and perform routines to showcase their skills. After not registering on time, WAVC is unable to attend competitions this winter. However, in addition to cheering at varsity WA games, new head coach Nina Feliciano wanted to give the cheerleaders an opportunity to show off the skills that they wouldn’t normally be able to perform when cheering at sporting events.
“Since we weren’t competing this year [and] I had a lot of seniors on my team, I felt like they deserved an opportunity to present their skills to the community, and [the exhibition] was a good opportunity,” Feliciano said. “I have a lot of freshmen on my team, who’ve never cheered before, so I [also] wanted to do the event for them, and to bring together the youth program Knights Cheer.”
The exhibition was not only an opportunity for younger cheerleaders to step into the world of competitive cheer, but also an opportunity for all cheerleaders to be in the spotlight. During the winter season, the WA cheer team will be cheering at boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball games, in addition to some ice hockey games and potential wrestling matches. Considering cheerleading is a sport that is known for highlighting other teams, Feliciano wanted to create an event where all eyes would be on the cheerleaders.
“Something that happens with cheerleading, especially with football cheer and in any cheer program, is we’re always on the sideline,” Feliciano said. “So when people go to a football game, they don’t come for the cheerleaders necessarily [because] they’re always focused on the game. To have something just for them, where people can appreciate their talents and the skills and the hard work that they put in is something that this community needs.”
At the first exhibition on Nov. 13, a large crowd full of friends, families, students, and WA Football players, gathered to watch the cheerleaders perform a chant and a routine with stunts and dance moves. The WAVC team performed last, after the Knights Cheer teams. Knights Football and Cheer is a program for young athletes from Westford, Acton, Boxborough, Littleton, and bordering communities. Three Knights Cheer teams performed routines, including an under 6 age group, an under 10 age group, and an under 14 age group.
“Including the Knights cheerleaders was a special addition to our exhibition. It brought the community together and I loved seeing each team support each other,” senior captain Sophia Griffin said. “It made me so happy to see what the future will be for the WA cheerleading program.”
According to Feliciano, a lot went into preparing for the exhibition. The WA cheerleaders practiced their routine for a few weeks, but were only able to have six practices to learn and nail down the routine. At the same time, the team also prepared for their halftime show and cheers at football games, and had to balance the exhibition along with their normal practices. The team even faced an injury, forcing them to make adjustments to the routine.
“We just had to really crack down on practice and get everything together,” Feliciano said. “And I’m so glad that it came together right in the end. It was intense.”
Although WAVC will be returning to competitions next year, Feliciano hopes to continue the exhibition event for many years to come, as it serves as a great opportunity to bring athletes together across different towns. She hopes that in future years, the event can grow and become an annual event that people look forward to.
“Hopefully it’ll be even bigger each year. And hopefully, it’ll be one of those things like the Thanksgiving game, or any kind of other event that we host at Westford Academy, where it just becomes an annual thing that people look forward to it each year,” Feliciano said. “We need more things to look forward to and to be happy for, and opportunities to really lift up our programs and lift up our students and our community.”
Looking to the future, WAVC aspires to continue strengthening their bond with the younger cheerleaders and the local community. During February break, the team plans to host a cheer clinic for the younger girls. The clinic would allow the younger cheerleaders to learn and improve their cheerleading, learning tumbling skills and routines, as well as conditioning. The proceeds from the clinic will benefit the WAVC team.
After hosting their first exhibition, the team is looking forward to the winter season, especially after seeing the close bonds formed between the high school cheerleaders and the youth cheerleaders, as well as the success they had raising money by selling handmade bows and raffle tickets for uniforms. Most importantly, the cheerleaders are excited to showcase their skills and connect with the community.
“I try to think of things that are lasting and things that can continue to grow, and seeing the impact that we had on the first youth night in September, and then the impact that we had on the exhibition, I feel like [the exhibition was] something that we [needed] to do, ” Feliciano said. “It’s a balance with the sport. It’s unattainable for anybody to be constantly happy and constantly positive all the time. Even on our own team, we need inspiration and we need motivators, and we need that help. So the best way to do that is by coming together and being silly, and having fun while doing things that bring us joy.”
