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02/17/2016 11:00 PMTaryn Cocco recently earned All-Southern Connecticut Conference honors as she helped the Indians’ cheerleading squad notch a third-place finish at the SCC Championship. Taryn, a senior captain, was ecstatic with the accomplishment, especially after traveling such a long road to get there. While some girls take private cheer and dance lessons when growing up, Taryn had to take a break from cheerleading between 4th and 6th grade to support her mother, who was in and out of the hospital.
“When everyone was getting private lessons, I was at the hospital with her, so by the time I got to finally get back and go to practices, I took advantage of the time and pushed myself to get to where I am today,” says Taryn. “She’s doing fine now, but it made me stronger and who I am today.”
Even with taking those years off, Taryn has excelled as a cheerleader and felt very proud about how she and her teammates performed at the SCC meet.
“This was the first year my coaches nominated me to be on the SCC Team. When my coach pulled me aside, I got some butterflies in my stomach,” says Taryn. “It was my turn. I really wanted it. When the day came, the nerves got bigger, but the second I got on the mat, I blew myself away. I performed like never before and, when I got it, had tears in eyes I was so happy. It was an amazing, great feeling and such a confidence booster. It was great because all three [captains] got it to share together.”
North Haven’s Head Coach Kathleen Crisafi feels that Taryn is more than deserving of her All-Conference recognition considering how much passion she puts into being a cheerleader.
“She’s all about being positive with her team. She’s a very selfless athlete. Her passion is for her team. She’s not about herself, which is huge in this sport,” says Crisafi. “Taryn is a kid who is never willing to settle for where she is. She’s always pushing to make herself better and make the team better. She’s a great performer to watch. She enjoys everything she does and is someone that will catch your eye. Taryn is a great kid to have on mat.”
Taryn loves cheering alongside her Indians’ teammates and especially enjoys when the competition season rolls around.
“The makeup, the hair, the uniforms—everything about it, I love. I never want to stop,” says Taryn, who is also part of the North Haven Unified Sports program. “Hopefully, when I get out of college, I can get into coaching.”
Taryn’s role as a senior captain gives her a bit of a head-start toward one day becoming a coach. Guiding her team certainly comes with challenges, yet Taryn has adjusted to those and feels it’s special to be in that position.
“I could not be any happier. It was kind of hard at first being a leader on a team of 40 girls...You’re the No. 1 person they go to when they have questions,” says Taryn. “Adapting to that process was tough, but now I have it down perfectly. Knowing people look up to you is a really great feeling and I couldn’t be any happier.”
Taryn says she’d love to continue her cheerleading career after high school. She’s spoken to a few college coaches and whether or not she cheers at the next level will ultimately depend on what school she attends. Either way, Taryn is happy with what she’s achieved at North Haven, while embracing the sisterhood that’s inherent in her sport.
“I have to say coming from the child life, I had success doing all the goals I put in my life. Going back to freshman year, I would’ve never seen myself being a captain,” says Taryn. “Sophomore year, I begged dad to quit and he didn’t let me. That year ended up being my favorite and I grew a family. Those girls are my life. They’re like my sisters and second family. I couldn’t have chosen a better sport to play in high school.”