Joseph Admasie-Breslin

The red cheer team performs “The Jefferson Beat” while Jefferson’s basketball team runs the ball on the offensive. “The whole sport is very [good for] bonding within the team, even though I don’t have experience with other sports,” senior cheer captain Cricket Hicks said.

On Dec. 10, Jefferson’s red cheer team performed at the girls’ basketball game against Arlington City High School. Every time Jefferson’s basketball team entered the opponent’s half of the court, the cheer team did a cheer routine to boost the morale of the players and raised their arms in support when players of Jefferson’s team went to shoot free throws.

“We’re not constantly cheering, but we have offensive and defensive cheers,” senior cheer captain Cricket Hicks said. “Of course, we avoid cheering during free throws.”

This year, the cheer team implemented a strategy of splitting into two teams: red and blue. This allows students to better balance their lives between academics and cheer, as the two teams take turns performing at events.

“There is a red team and a blue team. It gives each of the cheerleaders [more] time to focus on other things like homework without doing so many games during the week, [because] there can be 3 or 4 games a week,” assistant cheer coach Mackenzie Lister said. 

For freshman Julia Brennen, this was her first school sport. While being on the cheer team can be hard with memorizing cheers and attending practices, Brennen still enjoys her time being on the cheer team.

“I [didn’t do] sports in the fall, so this is my first school sport,” Brennen said. “I do gymnastics and also play tennis, but cheerleading is just fun.”

Cheer allows for students to boost the atmosphere at games and enjoy themselves while still being part of a bigger community and challenging themselves.

“It’s a good way to just get involved and have fun,” Lister said. “I think cheering is one of the hardest sports because you always have to have a smile on your face no matter what, even if your team is losing.”

Teamwork is crucial for a good team, with every member of the team relying on each other to do their best.

“You have to rely on your team to know every single thing that you’re doing, or else the whole team gets in trouble,” Lister said. “You have to work together and you have to rely on [others] to make things work.”