Three cheers for the Island cheerleaders
Zoey Bolton, Julia Labrozzi and Sophia Strauss.
Winter is beginning to descend, and as the days get shorter and some people tend to get a bit more grumpy, the Shelter Island School cheer leading team’s enthusiasm never falters.
Recently, the six athletes on this year’s team walked into the Shelter Island School gym, rolled out mats and began to stretch.
Their coaches — Meghan Glenn and Nina Speece — spoke with each other for a few moments before announcing they would start practice by going over the halftime routine. After the halftime was practiced, the coaches spent the last 30 minutes of the session directing the girls though choreographed stunts.
In practice, the cheerleaders run their routines up to seven times under the direction of the coaches. Every girl’s movement is scrutinized and each one has to have the routine down before moving on.
The school cheer leading team changes every year, whether it’s the coach, the captains or the style of the team. In recent years, coaches have tried to incorporate new stunts and cheers into the team’s arsenal.
This year’s team is small but, they say, “mighty,” with just six girls. Coaches Glenn and Speece said they are excited to be coaching cheer leading for the first time at the school. Coach Glenn believes that “cheer leading has a great influence in any sport” and that “the job of the cheerleaders is to add to the intensity of the game.”
It’s important to get the crowd involved in the game, especially when the game is close, she added. Director of Athletics Todd Gulluscio said he is encouraging cheerleaders “to be loud and be proud” this year.
For a new twist, the school’s cheerleaders may be dancing more this season. Coaches Glenn and Speece took dance classes when they were younger and plan to incorporate more dancing into the halftime routine. A variety of music genres will also be included during halftime.
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