WOHS Basketball Cheer Team

Cheerleading is a staple in American culture, with the big signs, flips, and loud cheers. When most people think of the sport, they think of a football field, tight outfits, and big stunts. Basketball cheer has its differences though, but don’t be fooled. Basketball cheer is grueling, difficult work, and some of the most fun ever.
So what is basketball cheer, and how is it different from competition or football cheer? Well, basketball is mainly stomp and shake cheer, a type of cheer that involves sharp movements. Competition is full of stunts, which is difficult to do on the hardwood floors. Additionally, basketball cheer skirts are typically looser than other cheer uniforms, allowing for a broader range of motion.
Practices usually begin with running seven laps around the school. They then spend the rest of the practice going over cheers. Sometimes they teach new material that they’ll strive to implement in the upcoming games. But on top of all that moving around, stretching is one of the most important things done during practice. Team bonding is a must on the team, and they make sure to get some in outside of their usual practices. Recently, their coach, Coach Spears, gave them bows to bedazzle. They try to do something like this every season.
Games are where the magic happens. To prepare they arrive about an hour and a half before the jump ball. During this time, they go over the material they’ll focus on during the game, any faults they had during practice, and ways to get better. Right before the game starts, they help introduce the players. They then call up the starters and lock arms for the Star Spangled Banner. The game then begins. They call out “Are we ready to cheer?” and start cheering during breaks and halftime. The goal of this is to hype up the stands and get energy up for the players.
Nolan Sulit, a cheerleader on the team, explains how the season is going well and material is getting better and better. He describes how he feels, “there’s nothing else in the world besides [himself] and cheer,” when he’s on the bleachers. If you haven’t yet, it might be time to attend a basketball game and watch the cheerleaders do their thing.