Many people, students and even teachers love the sport of cheer! The exciting skills and routines performed are always fun to watch! Here at Jupiter Middle, Ms. Veil coaches the basketball and competition cheer teams. The teams are both hard working and dedicated. However, there is a bit of a difference between the two teams.
What is Cheer?
Cheerleading, or otherwise called cheer, is an extremely competitive sport. Cheer consists of artistic dance routines with numerous stunts or tumbling passes completed within it. There are many skills cheerleaders have to learn over time. Some of these skills include: as simple as a toe touch or a cartwheel to a backflip, or even back hand spring. Cheerleaders must be able to either base, spot, or be a flyer in an extension. An extension is when the flyer (usually the smallest and shortest person) is lifted into the air by the bases fully extending their arms up, so their flyer can reach the highest point.
Just like any other sport, cheer can take a toll on a person’s mental health, stress levels, and anxiety. It is important to be mentally prepared as well as physically, especially in cheer. They have to be ready and focused to catch their flyer in their stunt making sure they don’t fall and get injured. Not only that but the cheerleaders must be prepared to visualize themselves executing a skill or tumbling pass, helping them to succeed.
What is Basketball Cheer?
This cheer team goes to all the home and away games of the boys and girls basketball team to cheer them on to victory. They have a set list of numerous cheers for different plays that happen in the game. Depending on if it is the opposing team’s free throw or our team is going to score they have a cheer for it, no matter the play! To be a part of the team you either have to do both basketball and competition, or you can do just basketball cheer. This team is more of a showcase and representation of our school! They bring the school spirit and fun to each and every game, always cheering the players on. During halftime, the cheer team will sometimes perform a routine or tumbling passes, entertaining the audience. Basketball cheer is often called “sideline cheer”.
What is Competition Cheer?
The competition cheer team is slightly similar to a travel team, they travel to go compete at events like cheer organizations and companies. The team has around seven competitions they attend throughout the season. Ms. Veil loves coaching the girls and watching them grow as a person and in cheer over their 3 years at JMS! Every year when Ms. Veil takes this team to her favorite place, Disney! The girls usually end their season with a bigger competition or finals up in Orlando, during this time they go to the parks to end off the season. This team is more advanced and competes at higher levels. The cheerleaders have to be able to do complex skills and stunts! Leading up to competitions the girls practice their routines with music and have to memorize it. The routines are around 2 minutes and 30 seconds long and include dance moves, stunts, and creative skills! The music will cut off towards the end for a cheer segment.
