Before the football players even run onto the field, the cheerleaders are there to get the audience hyped up. The colorful posters they create and the effort they put into pumping up the crowd, enhance the atmosphere. The loud cheers and omnipresence of cheerleaders at sports events is integral to the overall appeal of the game.

“Cheerleading is different from other sports in multiple ways,” junior Bethany Learmont said.  “The first reason is obvious: cheerleaders are cheering on other sports teams.”

Cheerleaders represent their respective school at sporting events, so they are expected to act as role models and make decisions that do not reflect poorly on the school. They also compete at national competitions such as the National Cheerleading Association (NCA), where teams from all over the country gather to compete and show off the skills they have learned throughout the year. Not only are their stunts and routines scrutinized by judges, but as representatives of the school, their decisions and actions are closely examined by the public.

“Not only are we doing what a cheerleader should do, but we are looked at more closely and are held at a higher standard,” Learmont said. “The coaches and administration expect us to represent Plano West in a good light.”

To prepare for the year, the cheerleaders learn their routines in the summer so that they are prepared to go to the first sporting events of the upcoming school year. The rest of their practices fluctuate between practicing skills and routines.

“Each practice will last around 2-3 hours,” junior Amya Holman said. “Every day we work on different skills, such as stunting, tumbling, jumps, cheers or routines.”

A week before the junior varsity (JV) girls try out for varsity, they have to learn the fundamentals such as cheers, routines and basic skills. They then have a mock tryout to prepare for the real one, where they will perform what they were taught in front of a group of judges.

“The process to make varsity is identical to the process to make junior varsity, except varsity only has one day to try out and JV has two,” Learmont said. “We go to Plano Senior High School and try out in groups of four before a panel of judges. The judges will score you and then the results will be posted online.”

Being on the varsity squad gives the cheerleaders a responsibility to help out incoming JV cheerleaders and take on leadership roles.

“I’m looking forward to cheering at the varsity football games every Friday night,” junior Meredith Macnoll said. “Additionally, being on varsity, I’ll be able to train the new JV girls and help plan fun squad activities to ensure that we will have a great year.”

The cheerleaders cheer for football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball and softball. Aside from cheering for so many sports, they also compete at competitions. At the competition, they perform routines similar to their pep rally routines, but they are longer and more vigorous.

“Plano West goes to competition every year,” Macnoll said. “This year, we competed in Orlando, Florida which was really fun because it was the first time I’d been to Disney World since I was six. This upcoming year, our competition will be a more local competition—NCA in Dallas.”

Cheerleading is a sport that requires coordination and trust among teammates. During their routines, they have to count on each other so the girls develop a relationship based off trust and encouragement.

“What I love about cheerleading is the team comradery—cheer functions as a unit that

requires everyone to be on their A-game,” Macnoll said. “But we also care about each other and want each other to do well. Whenever someone on cheer is unsure about a tumbling pass or

a stunt, she can count on having teammates there to encourage her and give her

helpful tips on how to improve.”