If you ever end up going to a Kaiser Football Game, there’s a very good chance that you’ll see the Kaiser Cheer Team! They’re a group of people who, well, cheer for the football team, and give them motivation to win! Of course, most of us reading this probably aren’t cheerleaders, and don’t necessarily know what it’s like. Thankfully, our cheerleaders do have the answers to this! We decided to inquire 2 of them about what it’s like to be a cheerleader, and compare them with each other. This is what we got.
Of course, if someone wants to join the Cheerleading team, they’ll probably also have a reason to join as well. Of course, that is the case with our Kaiser Cheerleaders. Freshman Madison Roukema says that she did have prior cheer experience, cheering for about 4 years outside of school. Meanwhile, Miley Izawa, another Freshman, joined the team because she wanted to meet new people. We’re certain she’s done that by now.
Thankfully, cheerleading seems to be an enjoyable experience for them, as both students mentioned that they enjoy the activity.
Roukema states that the Competitions are her favorite part of being a cheerleader, while Izawa mentions that the teamwork and collaboration that is involved is her favorite part of the activity. Both of them say that without either of these, the experience wouldn’t be anywhere near as fun as it currently is. Izawa adds that “it wouldn’t be as enjoyable without great teammates.”
With each passing year, the cheerleading team sees faces come and go. When asked who they think should’ve also been a cheerleader this year, the two cheerleaders mentioned a student by the name of Sophia Jovera.
As with every type of extra-curricular activity, it adds another factor that these students must work into their schedules, which sometimes mixes up their academics. When asked how cheerleading has impacted their academics & school life, Roukema mentioned that it made school a bit more difficult. On the other hand, Izawa says that her academics were mostly unaffected.
Cheerleading seems to involve a lot of acrobatics and gymnastics, with a lot of physical skill required. As seen in assemblies and games, the cheerleaders tend to get tossed into the air during various routines. Lotus Phan, a Freshman and a non-cheerleader, thinks that while cheerleading is fun, she probably wouldn’t be able to replicate said routines. Furthermore, Sophie Leerand, preferred nickname Rem, adds that Phan probably wouldn’t be able to do so, because of “a lack of strength”. Ouch.
While we all might think cheerleading is easy, it’s probably because we’re only looking at the surface of it. In reality, it’s not only very physically exhausting, but also requires a lot of choreography, timing, and enthusiasm. Despite these challenges, though, the Kaiser Cheer team appears to be in very good shape! After all, they won first prize in Mililani last month.
