Ariadna Zuniga
The Pierce College Cheerleading Team selected its five newest members recently to support the five returning members.
It is time for training and time to build up their cheerleading skills with Coach J.Q. Johnson who has been coaching the team since 2001.
“I have always had good students that are open to learn,” said. Johnson.
“They are always willing to dedicate time and effort to improve their skills that they need.”
The cheerleading team is also in the athletic program, which is coordinated by Coach Steve Ruys.
Ruys is the fitness center coordinator, which helps the team strengthen and maintain their athletic skills.
“Coach Ruys has taken them under his wing in getting them prepared like any other sport without any discrimination, as well as giving them his total and complete support,” said Johnson.
The team initially trains with Ruys once a week to teach them the fundamentals to exercising correctly within the first few weeks.
After a few weeks they train with him about two to three times a week, to learn Anatomical Adaptation, which is when he teaches them how to use light weights anatomically correctly.
“I have no problem with working with the team,” said Ruys. “I help both male and female athletes strengthen their athletic skills by creating new and different routines so they make progress.”
Tryouts normally take place in the spring semester, since they must attend the United Cheerleading Association (UCA) camp in the summer.
During the spring, the concentration is to strengthen the squad for events. Johnson normally doesn’t add anyone to the squad in the fall. The only time she is willing to accept someone in the fall is when they have an abundance of knowledge and experience in cheerleading.
The UCA camp, which takes place at the University of California at Santa Barbara, is where they are taught all basic stunting, getting game-ready and learning all the current safety guidelines.
In the summer they learn more stunting in a higher level with UCA and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The team only competes during the summer camp. The categories include: general cheer, sideline cheer and game-ready cheers. It’s an option for any team to compete but Pierce always competes and comes back with trophies.
Primarily, the team cheers at football games, as well as volleyball, school events and some basketball games.
They only attend some basketball games because most of that sport season is during the winter break. The team cheered at soccer in the past, but they can’t anymore since they are mid-day games.
They have done opening day for teachers, dinner rallies, and rally people to walk for the community. They did some cheers when some past and present members of the Los Angeles Dodgers came to Pierce in spring 2006 to promote the new baseball season.
Cheerleaders commit to two hours a week in the spring and six hours a week in the fall due to football season.
“Cheerleading is a great way to represent the school’s spirit,” said Seleste Wayzer, a freshman at Pierce.
The students range from 18 to 27 years old. It is a multi-cultured team with very different background experiences and they also have different levels of experience.
This team currently has five new members, five returning, and one mascot.
Johnson would like to have 15 members by the summer time. The team will be 10 for the moment until the next tryouts, which will in April or May.
“This team has support that ranges from the teachers, Associated Students Organization, the administration, the coaches,” said Johnson. “That is also one reason why this team is alive.”
Members of Pierce’s 10-member cheer squad practices routines in the North Gym. The team will travel to Santa Barbara this summer for participation in a camp. (Kiyomi Kikuchi)