Friday Night Lights
Madelyn LaPrade
Madelyn LaPrade
Cheerleading is an awesome experience that many girls consider among the best times of their lives. The Talon took to the halls to discover the differences between JV and varsity cheerleading.
Varsity cheerleaders are the smiling faces of Friday night lights. (JV plays on Thursdays). But it is not all bows and smiles…from hyping up the student section and cheering on the football team to setting a good example for the younger cheerleaders, the squad has a lot of responsibility on their hands. Junior Kaitlyn Slemons said she felt “like I had to take up a lot more responsibility because I knew two younger groups of girls that were looking up to me.” While setting an example can be nerve-wracking, she still finds the sport exciting and enjoys spending time with her friends. Junior Kennedy Warren described the biggest challenge in adjusting to the changes of varsity: “Having to learn how to be more spirited.” All cheerleaders who were interviewed said that cheering in front of the student section was very fun, made them laugh, and even helped lift their spirits.
Varsity is the “highest level” you can reach in high school, and much more competitive than you might think. Coach Spiegel, head varsity cheerleading coach, reports that this school year the squad is composed of 26 girls, both juniors and seniors. When asked how they felt about trying out for the team, three girls responses varied from “a little nervous”, to “very scared!” However, once practices started, everything changed. The fears melted away and reality set in. Maggie Spiegel described her feelings as, “Ready. Really ready.” Both Kennedy Warren and Kaitlyn Slemons said they were “Really excited!”. The varsity practices were described as “laid-back” and “more chill than JV”. A typical practice consists of going through cheers, teaching them to those who may not know, and wrapping up by making the football team’s run through. Unlike junior varsity practices, where they spent more time actually learning the cheers.
The JV squad is composed of sophomores, and freshmen have their own team. Though all the girls are technically on different teams, they all share the common goal of supporting our Hillgrove Hawks! Basketball cheerleaders join them in the winter, and Hillgrove students join them in the stands!
Everyone interviewed ultimately preferred varsity to JV, and were excited to continue making memories with the team. Go Hawks!
Varsity cheerleaders are the smiling faces of Friday night lights. (JV plays on Thursdays). But it is not all bows and smiles…from hyping up the student section and cheering on the football team to setting a good example for the younger cheerleaders, the squad has a lot of responsibility on their hands. Junior Kaitlyn Slemons said she felt “like I had to take up a lot more responsibility because I knew two younger groups of girls that were looking up to me.” While setting an example can be nerve-wracking, she still finds the sport exciting and enjoys spending time with her friends. Junior Kennedy Warren described the biggest challenge in adjusting to the changes of varsity: “Having to learn how to be more spirited.” All cheerleaders who were interviewed said that cheering in front of the student section was very fun, made them laugh, and even helped lift their spirits.
Varsity is the “highest level” you can reach in high school, and much more competitive than you might think. Coach Spiegel, head varsity cheerleading coach, reports that this school year the squad is composed of 26 girls, both juniors and seniors. When asked how they felt about trying out for the team, three girls responses varied from “a little nervous”, to “very scared!” However, once practices started, everything changed. The fears melted away and reality set in. Maggie Spiegel described her feelings as, “Ready. Really ready.” Both Kennedy Warren and Kaitlyn Slemons said they were “Really excited!”. The varsity practices were described as “laid-back” and “more chill than JV”. A typical practice consists of going through cheers, teaching them to those who may not know, and wrapping up by making the football team’s run through. Unlike junior varsity practices, where they spent more time actually learning the cheers.
The JV squad is composed of sophomores, and freshmen have their own team. Though all the girls are technically on different teams, they all share the common goal of supporting our Hillgrove Hawks! Basketball cheerleaders join them in the winter, and Hillgrove students join them in the stands!
Everyone interviewed ultimately preferred varsity to JV, and were excited to continue making memories with the team. Go Hawks!