When football season starts, the cheerleaders know their time to shine is right around the corner. With COVID-19 adjusting the start dates for sports this year, the cheerleaders actually had a head start on the football team in prepping for this season. Even this early in the season, though, the pandemic has made things a little tougher on the squad.
“It is very different this year, but we are trying to keep it as normal as we can,” senior Betsy Martinez said. “Even though we are dealing with this chaotic pandemic I want it to be the best senior year for the seniors on the team.”
The new CDC guidelines require masks when grouped up or stunting. This means that cheer stunts are harder than ever, especially while staying six feet apart as much as possible.
“It is hard to social distance – I mean, it is cheerleading after all,” Martinez said. “Stunting is my favorite thing to do, and COVID has made it a lot harder.”
The cheer sponsors have had to alter their habits, as well.
“I am the type of person that loves hugs, I need my hugs from my girls,” sponsor Cheryl Lack said. “It is very upsetting for me because hugs from my girls make me just have a burst of energy. I can’t wait for the day I can just hug them without worrying about COVID.”
There is no definitive word yet on whether or not UIL state cheer competition will take place in January, and pep rallies are definitely different – while the campus is holding socially-distanced pep rallies, everything has required an adjustment from the norm. Still, most changes have gone smoothly; wearing masks has been the biggest hassle.
“It hasn’t been extremely difficult adjusting to most things simply because we have a great squad that listens and follows rules,” Lack said. “Adjusting to stunts, on the other hand, hasn’t been quite as easy. Having to stunt with masks isn’t comfortable and is very difficult.”
Overall, the sponsors and girls are excited to have their experiences, but they do wish life would get back to normal.
“I just want the girls to experience the true feeling of being a cheerleader and the feeling of state competition and the crowd roaring for them,” cheer sponsor Megan King said. “I hate that they have to be so restricted and not able to be themselves in front of the crowd.”
Even with the changes, the cheerleaders and their sponsors are making the most of the year.
“Things change so fast and it gets hard to adjust sometimes,” King said. “You might have it figured out one day and then one minute later it will have to be changed. That makes managing cheer kind of hard for me. Running around trying to make those changes and let them know is challenging, but I love the girls and how well they adjust to that sudden change, so I guess it’s worth it.”
