Cheerleaders Place Third In National Competition

Friday, 11 March 2011 00:00

At their first national showing, the Plainedge High School Varsity Cheerleading squad, coached by Kerri Boye, captured a third-place win in the Super Varsity category at the UCA’s 2011 National High School Cheerleading Championship this February. The team qualified to attend the contest as a result of their performance during the UCA Regional competition in December.

The team’s routine included a cheer portion and two music segments, which featured the students’ outstanding stunt, tumbling, and jumping abilities. Remaining in complete unison, the team had the crowd cheering on their feet for Plainedge’s Big Red. In addition to the parents and family members in the audience, Plainedge Board of Education member Debra Grieci was in attendance to support the team on their first national debut.  

From the first day of practice, the squad embraced the notion of taking the routine one step at a time and, over time, evolved from ‘team’ to a family of cheerleaders. In addition to cheering for the school’s football and boys’ basketball teams, this year the 22-member squad also competed in five Long Island Cheerleading Coaches Association (LICCA) competitions and finished their season at the LICCA Cheerleading Championship, where they placed second out of the top teams from Long Island.