“People think that we don’t workhard and that it’s not a sport,” was the overwhelming responsefrom the eight members of the Mountain View High School (MVHS)Songleaders.
The MVHS Songleaders, Angela Herrera, junior, Kristina Maggi,junior, Joyce Kuo, senior, Sarah Park, senior, Jameela Fulton,senior, Carol Lo, junior, Ann McDonald, senior, and Angel Lo,senior, do cheerleading and dance performances during half-timeat school sporting events and pep-rally shows. Recently, the squadplaced seventh at the 1996 USA Spirit National competition, thehighest finish for any MVHS rally squad.
“The girls work very hard and each of them has a good dancebackground and enjoy what they are doing,” said Laura Jollay,adviser to the Songleaders.
The squad practices daily and has not only had the best finishfor the school in national competition, but also placed secondin the northern California regional competition, fourth at a MissionSan Jose competition and sixth at a Homestead High School competition.All of these competitions are sponsored by the United Spirit Association(USA).
“We hope to get more respect from the students and the school,”Kuo said.
“Cheerleaders are not popular at our school,” Maggisaid.
But all the squad members agree that they have received morerespect for their peers this year. The Songleaders has also producedfriendships.
“Two years ago we didn’t know each other,” McDonaldsaid. “Now we are very close friends.”
Much of that camaraderie comes from the direction of the adviser.Jollay has an extensive dance background and has been teachingthe Songleaders for three years. She is a former 49ers Nugget(cheerleader) and a Warrior’s Girl. Along with teaching at MVHS,Jollay also conducts cheerleading clinics for USA.
“She is more like our friend than a coach,” Herrerasaid. “She doesn’t yell at us. She discusses things withus and asks for ideas. She can control us and we know to respecther.”
Although they train hard, the squad has fun in what they aredoing and encourage others to try out. The only requirements astudent needs to try out are to maintain at least a 2.0 gradepoint average and a dedication to daily practice. Smoking anddrinking are not allowed.
Go to: [This Week’s Stories][Search All Issues][LA Online]
© Copyright 1996. Select Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
