After learning new cheers and a dance, the cheerleaders pose before going out on the track to cheer.
By Elizabeth Jackson
Big G! Little O! Go! Go! That’s right, it is the time of the year for Mini Cheer Clinic.
On Friday, September 14, Plymouth High School Cheerleaders hosted the Mini Cheer Clinic for girls four to twelve years old. The girls came, played games such as Little Sally Walker and Sharky, learned various cheers and a dance, ate some pizza with juice, and then played more games before their big moment. There was an outcome of 46 girls. The mini-cheerleaders were able to learn the cheers “Big G! Little O! Go! Go!,” “Don’t stop Rockies. It’s time to win. Red and white. Let’s do it again,” “Rowdie,” “We’ve got spirit,” a dance to “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen, and tons more. At the game, the crowd really participated in the “We’ve got spirit” cheer more than any other. Plymouth Community School Corporation students along with parents and members of the community were spectators in the stands watching the game and the cheerleaders. The cheer clinic provided improvement for the cheer squads and an educational opportunity for the younger girls.
Junior Danielle Erickson was one of the cheerleaders that learned a few things from the clinic. “From cheering with the little girls at the game for the first quarter, I learned that you have to be very flexible and patient. They get excited or nervous in front of the crowd, so they might act silly for the crowd or not do the cheers at all. You just have to keep reminding them to smile and show them what to do,” she says.
The cheerleaders discuss the schedule for the evening's events.
The squads benefit from having the mini cheerleaders step out on the track with them. “Well the squad definitely had fun with all the little kids because they were all so cute and jumping around everywhere. This really helped out our squad because it taught us to help give us patience with the little kids and to take our time and explain to them. Because they have so much energy the cheerleaders were tired in the first 3 minutes of the clinic but they had fun with it. The little kids showed the cheerleaders how to be patient and understanding,” says Freshman Tailer Smerekanich when asked how the Mini Cheer Clinic benefitted the squads. Something that people do not know about this clinic is that “… it really builds confidence and relationships,” said senior Traci Longanecker.
The PHS cheerleaders all had their favorite parts of the clinic. “Going out on the track & cheering with the little girls & then giving them a piggy-back rides to their parents afterwards,” was sophomore Madalyn Lambert’s favorite part of the evening.
The advice given to the mini cheerleaders from senior Alex Moore is to “Never stop having fun, don’t think of this as a chore but something you love, and if you don’t love it you shouldn’t be doing it.”
The clinic is offered once per season. “I think once is enough because it is a lot for them to learn in one day. We do it once a season and I think it gives them something to look forward to every year!” says senior Allie Berger.
With that being said, the cheer clinic was a lot of work and a lot of fun.
Before each cheer is taught, the mini cheerleaders were asked to introduce themselves to the PHS cheerleaders.