Three cheers

Spirit squads to compete in Florida

By: Stephanie Brown
   MONROE — Township cheerleaders will head to Florida this weekend to compete in the Pop Warner Little Scholar’s National Cheer Championship, and they’re looking to come back with more than a nice tan.
   "I want to win the trophy," said 9-year-old Krystle Danza. "I want to win."
   Krystle said she has been cheerleading since kindergarten and this is her first time going to nationals.
   "I’m really happy because I’ve been waiting a long time for this," she said.
   Krystle is on the Junior Pee Wee Large Intermediate team, one of the four teams that have qualified to compete at nationals. The Junior Pee Wee Large Novice, Junior Midgets Small Advanced and Midgets Small Advanced teams will also be competing at nationals, which begins Dec. 5.
   Junior Pee Wees are ages 8 to 11; Junior Midgets are ages 10 to 13; and Midgets are ages 11 to 15, according to the pop Warner Web site.
   The teams qualified for nationals by placing either first or second at the Eastern Regional Competition held in Trenton earlier this month.
   With the championship only a few days away, the coaches and cheerleaders say they are ready to show the Sunshine State what they’ve got.
   "Our goal is really to go to nationals full of confidence," said Patty Dinsmore, assistant coach of the Junior Midget Small Advance team. "We want the girls to go out on the mat knowing their routine and feel fully confident."
   Terri Glade, head coach of the Junior Pee Wee Large Intermediate team, said her squad has been practicing three times a week to prepare for competition.
   "They’re practicing their tumbling, their flying," said Ms. Glade. "We’re working them."
   Ms. Glade’s daughter, Mariann, is also on the team. She said she was both excited and nervous about the competition.
   "Actually, I’m glad that I made it and my coaches said that we should make the nationals name, which means we should get first," Mariann said.
   But Ms. Glade said winning the competition isn’t the only thing the 35 girls on her squad are excited about.
   "They’re going to Disney, they’re going on a plane," said Ms. Glade. "They’re excited to be with each other. They’ve really grown together as a family, like sisters.
   Kathy Watlington, head coach of Junior Pee Wee Novice Large team, said going to competition helps to strengthen the team’s bond.
   "It definitely makes them closer," said Ms. Watlington. "I feel that I have a really good group of girls. They all get along, they all care about each other. If one of the girls is extra nervous about competing that day, they all rally around her. They deserve to be where they are because that’s exactly how they work as a team."
   Kelly Lange, head coach for the Midget Advanced Small team, said the 12- to 15-year olds on her squad are serious competitors.
   "The group we have are really committed to the sport itself," Ms. Lange said. "They never miss practice and are really devoted."
   Ms. Lange said she tries to make practice fun and keep her squad of 19 girls from getting too serious about competition.
   "Sometimes they get stressed out, caught up in the hard work, you know," Ms. Lange said. "So I try to switch things up at practice a little bit."
   Krystin Ryskogel, 15, said she and her teammates all sit in a circle before each practice and talk about their day.
   "It’s just to calm down so we’ll have a better practice," she said.
   Krystin said this is her second time going to nationals — she went as a novice in 2004 — but she said she is still nervous.
   "We’re in a higher level and we’re going against teams that want it just as bad as we do," she said.
   No matter what happens, Ms. Lange said she hopes her squad enjoys the experience.
   "Just qualifying in itself is such an accomplishment," she said. "I just want them to have a great time."
   What’s the most important thing to remember?
   Holly Olsen, another cheerleader on Ms. Lange’s team knows.
   "Have fun," she said "And smile."