Cheerleading is not only a great way to be involved with your school and the sports but also a way to connect with others. Cheer teaches you many skills that you can use in everyday life. It teaches how to be a team player, persistence and leadership.

At Pasco high school, cheer leading has been an important role for many years. It has history and chances are your mom or maybe your mothers mom has taken part.

There’s a common discussion on how cheer isn’t a sport. There’s always a debate on how it’s not a sport because it’s not very competitive compared to high impact sports like football or there’s no points/ game involved.. That is true however it is still a form of athleticism and cheer does compete during the winter time. Regardless if you believe it’s a sport or not, Undermining a teams hard work changes nothing.

The cheer team cheers for varsity football and varsity girls and boys basketball. Cheer takes a big part in wilding up students to get involved and be supportive of their teams. If you’re one of the students who comes along to the games and likes to cheer along with, you probably know the famous crowd cheers “ Hey burrito” or “ Trucking.” “ I honestly think that when the student section is there to support us we feel more confident in our cheers and we feel like the game will go way better. It makes us feel like we are getting some type of appreciation from the student section rather than when there’s nobody else participating,” says cheerleader Lucy Tovar.

A day in a life of a cheerleader at practice consists of many things. Group stretching, practicing cheer jumps and kicks, running, stunting, practicing routines for competitions and practicing cheers for the seasons. Practice varies from Tuesday-Thursday at 3-6. Cheer also teaches how to multitask, the cheerleaders make time to balance school, work, home life and cheer. As stressful as it can be, it’s great to see hardworking students be able to keep up with their responsibilities. “Many people forget it takes more than a combined group of people to make up a team, but it takes that and actions. Positivity, effective skills and effort from each group member. A good team member does their share of work in that group and any other group. No matter what they have to go through.. My teammates are the most hardworking people i know of and the fact everyone puts in the work to be there is what makes us the best,” says Alexis Kinsey another Pasco High cheerleader.

In order to cheer or to be on the team you must have above a 2.0 and Coach Missy does not like to see any failing grades either. Cheer likes good attendance and students who can be responsible and reliable. Cheer is always looking for new cheerleaders. Girls or boys if you’re interested in the sport, try out when @Pasco.cheer (on Instagram) announces the next try out dates!