School spirit, student engagement and energetic cheers are what the Football and Basketball Cheer Squads are all about. The student section has seen a different side of the cheer teams abilities this year.
For years, the Solon High School Varsity Cheer Team has been an upperclassmen activity. With the addition of sophomores and stunting to varsity this year, the Cheer Team has looked a little different.
The junior varsity team now consists of freshmen, sophomores and juniors while the varsity squad is sophomores, juniors and seniors to create a new environment for the team. The team recently added stunting to increase student enthusiasm. The addition required special training and protocols, but so far has been deemed a success.
Liz Kozar, the Varsity Football Cheer coach, believes that the new additions have created a new environment for the team and has shaped how the cheer team is defined.
“Each year brings something new, but this season has definitely brought a different and exciting vibe to the team, and I’m loving it,” Kozar said. “Having different grade levels eligible for various squads has brought a fresh energy and a strong eagerness to learn to the athletes. Introducing stunting has added an element of teamwork and trust that was not there before and has been key to our success.”
In addition, Senior Shawna Polster said that sophomores have created a new atmosphere for the team.
“I have really been loving having the sophomores on the team,” Polster said. “It creates a better space for us all to be ourselves, without drama from the school day and friends because we are all a part of the cheer team, and we can leave all that stuff at home and just be together. Everyone not being in the same grade has really helped.”
Senior Jessica White, who has been cheering since middle school, said sophomores have been a good addition to the team because of their past experience and unique routines.
“The sophomores that made varsity are very skilled and most have done competitive cheer with stunting before,” White said. “When we are doing stunts or tumbling, they make things easier and we look cleaner, sharper and better overall.”
Polster said that with new changes for her last year of cheer, she has also seen changes in the student section’s school spirit.
“When you are watching a football game, it is a lot cooler to see [cheerleaders] come up in the air than just standing on the ground,” Polster said. “Especially since it is pretty hard to see us from the student section, so I think it has definitely been a good addition.”
Kozar said the stunting has added a fresh level of eagerness to the stands.
“Stunting adds a whole new level of excitement to the performances, and you can feel the energy boost in the student and parent section when we pull off a stunt,” Kozar said. “It’s something visually striking that draws more attention and gets the crowd more involved, which really helps elevate school spirit.”
Even though many injuries could occur during stunting, Polster said that she feels safe while they stunt.
“We are all there to protect each other and help each other,” Polster said.
White said the team also had prior training with procedures put in place to ensure their safety.
“We went to a cheer place over the summer to do a stunt camp, and they started us off with just the basics with a bunch of mats around,” White said. “It felt safe, and we did not really stunt again until cheer camp where they taught us more difficult stuff.”
Finally, Kozar said that with all of the adjustments, the cheer team has continued to flourish throughout the season.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team’s hard work, dedication and respectfulness,” Kozar said. “Their commitment has been inspiring, and I’m excited to see how much we’ll continue to grow. Their positive attitude and strong work ethic motivate me to keep introducing new challenges for them.”
