Students from North Brunswick Township High School were invited to cheer on the sidelines of the CGI Unite half-marathon at Rutgers University on April 18.
Above: North Brunswick Township High School cheerleaders Imani Fox (l-r), Jasmyne Johnson, Katelyn Pietrocola, Kelly McBride and head coach Sue Simmons cheer on runners crossing the finish line at the Unite Half-Marathon, held at Rutgers University on April 18. Below: Paul Cuomo and Laura Whalen, of the North Brunswick Township High School drumline, play for runners crossing the finish line. PHOTOS BY SCOTT FRIEDMAN Cheerleading coach Sue Simmons was contacted by the organization and decided it would be a good opportunity for the students.
The girls chanted, “Keep it up,” “Don’t stop,” “Stay strong,” and You’re almost there,” as the 3,000 or so runners came toward the finish line. They also performed one dance with the band.
“It made you feel good … knowing that you helped them [the runners] accomplish something they didn’t think they’d accomplish,” cheerleader Jasmyne Johnson said.
“Sometimes when you cheered for them, they would cheer too,” cheerleader Kristen Walsh added.
Alison Campise, a health and physical education teacher at NBTHS, participated in the marathon last week. She said a few years ago she started competing in triathlons as a way to stay active and competitive.
She ran track as a sprinter when she was younger, but said long-distance running was always a personal challenge. She ran six miles of the Jersey Shore Relay marathon for the Special Olympics, her longest attempt prior to the Unite marathon.
“The best part of racing is the energy from fellow participants and the fun, positive atmosphere that you become a part of during the races themselves,” Campise said. “It’s an amazing feeling to accomplish your personal goals and to have your family, friends, and in this case, students, there to support you. I couldn’t wait to get to the finish line, and as soon as I saw the blue and gold pompoms, I knew I had done it. I slapped the girls five as I made my way to the finish line.”
“It was exciting to see someone we knew pass us out of the hundreds of people,” cheerleader Katelyn Pietrocola said.
The head varsity gymnastics and diving coach finished the race in 2½ hours but said “at the end of the day I was proud of myself for accomplishing the 13.1 miles. It is a race I will never forget.”
Fellow health and physical education. teacher Tracy Latchaw also participated in the marathon, especially since it went through her hometown of New Brunswick.
Latchaw said she runs at least five to six days a week, trained for the Atlantic City Marathon in 2007, and just ran the NYC Marathon in November. She completed the Atlantic City marathon in about four hours, 22 minutes and the New York marathon in four hours, 13 minutes. The Unite half-marathon was completed in one hour, 51 minutes.
“It was really nice to see the North Brunswick Township High School drum line and cheerleaders cheering everyone on. It really helped keep my spirits up and focused on the finish line. I really appreciated their support,” she said.
Pietrocola understood the team spirit factor and said, in turn, watching the marathon was inspirational for her.
“It’s such an accomplishment to run 13 miles and to see their faces and know how happy they are,” she said.
Fellow cheerleader Kelly McBride agreed, saying, “I wish I could do it.”
The girls’ participation was a fundraiser from CGI, and the funds will go toward their cheer camp.