Young aspiring cheerleaders filled the Westwood gym with laughter and spirit on Saturday, Oct. 12 as JV and varsity cheerleaders welcomed the next generation of Westwood cheerleaders at their annual Future Warriors Cheer Clinic.
The clinic welcomed 82 girls from the surrounding elementary schools. Ensuring every kid had a fun and positive experience, the cheerleading team worked together to create the best camp to promote their program. Eventually, by the end of the clinic, the mini cheerleaders performed new tricks learned throughout the camp to their parents. After the camp was over, the girls walked out with new knowledge and skills of what it takes to be a Westwood cheerleader.
“[The clinic] is a way to show the future cheerleaders what cheerleading is like here,” Assistant Coach Kristen Russell said. “I’m hopeful that the awareness of cheerleading grows from this event and that the parents want to put their kids into it,” Russel said.
Last year only 63 girls participated, bringing more opportunities for support and leadership from the coaches, cheerleaders, and parents. This increased turnout was due to the team’s push to spread the word about the clinic. Passing out flyers at elementary schools, performing at elementary school pep rallies, and word of mouth all contributed to the increased turnout. These strategies not only spread the word about the clinic but also showcased the talent and spirit of Westwood Cheer.
“We send out a group of girls to show off their skills at pep rallies and football games,” Head Coach Melina Vargas said. “This is our biggest turnout compared to recent years.”
Amid the bustling excitement of the minis wanting to learn stunts and jumps, a new sense of responsibility was all the cheer team could think about.
“Handling the kids was stressful but extremely rewarding,” Jenna Hallidy ‘25 said. “Not only were we put in groups that made it easier to deal with the kids but we had each other’s support and the support of parent volunteers and our coaches. Watching over little kids can be overwhelming when they don’t want to listen but at the end of the day, they were so sweet and excited to do fun cheer things.”
The clinic not only serves as an opportunity to promote cheer but also is a fundraiser for the Cheer Booster Club. The booster club covers costs for competition fees, uniforms, and any other things that the team may need to make them the best they can be.
“[Our booster club] supports us with a lot of things and hosting this fundraiser is how we help them in return,” Coach Vargas said.
For some cheerleaders, this event was a throwback to their days of being a ‘mini’ cheerleader, when they participated in the clinic. Determined to share the same joy they felt as a mini, the cheer clinic alumni made it their goal to inspire future Warriors and show them the side of cheer they cherish the most.
“Now that I am [a cheerleader], it’s kind of like a dream come true,” Meeghan Moyer ‘27 said. “It’s inspiring to me that I’m here now. [Today,] we taught them different motions and our techniques for jumps and also went over stunts and tumbling to show their parents.”
The clinic succeeded with each ‘mini’ cheerleader walking away with an unforgettable time and new knowledge of the cheerleading world.
“My favorite part of the clinic was getting to teach the kids new things and give them the confidence to try new things,” Delaney Johnson ‘26 said.
The future Warriors will showcase their hard work and new skills with the Westwood Cheerleaders at the volleyball game on Tuesday, Oct. 22 in the Field House.
