Community Corner
Whiz Kids: The Big Blue Cheerleading Captains
Some of the best athletes at Swampscott High School don't take slap shots, don't turn the double play, don't kick extra points and don't sprint for the finish line. They're the dedicated captains of the Big Blue cheerleading squad.
Some ofs best athletes don’t score points, don’t run as fast as they can to win a race, and they’re never lacking in school spirit.
They’re the squad led by co-captains Kristen Wheeler, Colleen Meagher, Courtney LeBlanc and Kelsie Mayo.
All four senior girls were drenched in sweat at a recent two-hour afternoon practice on one side of the high school gym, taking breaks for a sip of water with their teammates while the high school volleyball team was using the other side of the gym.
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The 16 girls that make up the squad, the four senior captains, nine juniors and three sophomores work incredibly hard to get their routines down so they look flawless on the sidelines during football games.
“We also have a group of girls that cheer for basketball, but it’s a different group than the football cheerleaders,” cheering coach Cynthia Kowalski said. “Some of the girls cheer in fall and winter, and some of the girls leave to play winter sports, and we pick up a few girls that played soccer or field hockey to make up for the girls that leave the squad when winter sports begin.”
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“This is such a big part of my life, it’s such an honor to be on this team, with these girls, and to be captain is just amazing,” Kelsie Mayo said. “We put a lot of time in from August until the end of the (football) season, it’s a lot of fun and it’s great to show school spirit when we do our routines.”
All the girls have to be in great shape, keep up good grades, be energetic and not be concerned about having hundreds of pairs of eyes trained on them when they perform on the sidelines while the Big Blue tries to win on the field.
“I used to run track and cheering is 20 times harder than running, really,” Mayo said. “It’s incredibly physical to be sure, but I don’t think people realize the amount of mental preparation that goes into cheerleading.”
Like the U. S Postal Service, the girls have to deliver in all types of weather, in all types of conditions, day and night. This year’s squad made history when they did their routines last Thursday night during the Triton game, the first home night football game in Swampscott High School history,
“You’ve got to be really patient, really energetic, and very enthusiastic to be a good cheerleader,” Courtney LeBlanc said. “Being on this team is a huge part of my life, it’s a lot of hard work, but I love it.”
Cheerleaders have been supporting the Big Blue sports programs for years, making signs, baking cookies and decorating the players’ lockers at school before games.
“It adds to the atmosphere, it’s a great thing to have the cheerleaders supporting us,” head football coach Steve Dembowski said. “Cynthia’s done a great job, cheering has a long history at Swampscott going back to the days of Faith Shore, the girls do a great job, and Scott (first-year band director Scott Winship) has done a great job with the band, really, the team can’t thank them enough for supporting us.”
“I went to college in Nebraska, so I know how the band and the cheerleaders have an impact on the game, especially at home,” Winship said. “I’m very happy to be involved with the Swampscott football tradition.”
Many of the girls have been cheering since they were 4, 5, and 6 years old, learning routines to support the players in the Swampscott youth football program.
“It’s a huge commitment these girls make when they make the cheerleading squad, the girls have many intense routines to learn, there’s jumping, tumbling, strength, stamina,” Kowalski said. “You’ve got to be dedicated to performing and an outgoing personality helps too.”
“Everyone is looking at you, so you really have to have confidence streaming out of you to be successful,” Kowalski said. “Our practices are very, very intense.”
“I love cheering, it keeps me in shape, and really, it’s a great way to socialize, and I’ve made such good friends from cheering,” Kristin Wheeler said.
“Cheering is so much fun, I’ve been cheering in Swampscott for over seven years and I love it,” Colleen Meagher said. “I’ve met so many people over the years from cheering, so many friends, so many memories.”
“I can’t say enough about my four captains, my seniors, I’m going to miss them, but I’m grateful for all the help they’ve given to me,” Kowalski said.
Joining Wheeler, Mayo, Meagher and LeBlanc on the 2011 Big Blue cheerleading squad are: Juniors – Candice O’Connor, Caitlin McNally, Mariah Hanson, Talia Faia, Elizabeth Kirby, Taylor DiPietro, Lauren Morse, Tiara Smith-Matthews, Brianna Spinney and sophomores Emma Warner, Sophie Scott and Keila Cox.
The team will be on the sidelines next Friday night in Malden, leading the cheers while the football team tries to improve to 6-0 on the season.
