Hard works pays off for GBC cheerleaders

Iam the head cheer coach for the East Brunswick/Spotswood Golden Bear Chargers (GBC) Pop Warner Midget Cheer Squad. I have had the pleasure of coaching my girls for about seven years. I started when my daughter Jordan was just a Mighty Mite cheerleader and have been coaching ever since. Each year our girls return ready to work hard and prepare for the competition season ahead, and I must add they just keep getting better and better.

You see, we had the opportunity of attending the Pop Warner 2006 National Cheer Championships for the first time ever in GBC history, and for that first ever showing we took third place. It was quite an accomplishment, of which we are all very proud.

Last year, after taking first place at Central Jersey, though things didn’t go so well for us in the following rounds of competition, we lost due to a stunting violation.

So, we definitely came back strong this year, hoping to take back what was taken from us last year. Our girls worked very hard and it has definitely paid off: We took first place at Central Jersey, first place at state qualifiers, and first place at Eastern Regions. Our next stop is Orlando, Fla. for the 2008 Pop Warner National Cheer Championship, where we hope to take home the Gold and make it a clean sweep for our 2008 season.

Coming along with us this year will be our Pee Wee cheer squad, who took second place at Regionals this year. Their coach is my good friend Lorraine Nielsen.

I would be remiss if I didn’t add that I had the best help in coaching these girls, with my assistant coaches, Kristen Phibbs and Mariestelle Magliano. We also couldn’t have been so successful without the support and help of our cheer coordinator, Laura Bacskoczky, and the president of the GBC organization, Ed Seely. To them I am very greatful.

Susan DeStefano-Kimball

Spotswood