The Valley Regional cheerleading squad recently completed a fall campaign full of many bright moments while on the sidelines showing their school spirit for the Warriors. It was that spirit and fire that enabled its athletes and coaches to steer the program in a better and more productive direction.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Shaheer Ahmed, Valley projected its energy and enthusiasm for the Warriors’ football team towards the stands and on the gridiron weekly. She explained it was truly a grassroots type of overhaul, taking the heart and effort of every individual, and leaving them with an exceptional feeling of fulfillment.

“Our fall season is a non-competing season, focusing on game day elements–ranging from cheers, to sideline stunts/pyramids, and performing a halftime routine,” said Ahmed. “The primary goal for this year was to rebuild the program from the ground up by teaching the foundations of cheer, and also conditioning the athletes to build up strength and flexibility. It was a major redesign of the program, introducing new elements to the team, even down to the cheers, in an effort to take the program in a new direction and receive positive feedback from the crowd. The returning athletes, as well as new oncomers, were happy to take part in this rebuilding process and worked very hard to bring a new light to the program.”

Of course right out of the gate, there were some growing pains and benchmark moments starting at the base. But the girls stuck with it via dedication and discipline to enhance all elements of a competitor, along with the encouragement of their new mentor, and built pyramids of progress and proficiency.

“Upon entering the season as the new coach, many of the athletes' understanding of cheer was novice, so much so, we had difficulty executing a basic stunt or even performing cheer jumps,” Ahmed said. “Throughout the season, we not only worked on full-body conditioning, but also taught the fundamentals of cheer before progressing onwards to advanced skills. With this progression, we were able to attempt single-legged extended stunts, a skill that was not feasible or imaginable at the beginning of the season. Additionally, we attempted new pyramids that not only pushed the limits of the athletes, but brought out their inner potential on what they can accomplish. The team had made immense progress by the end of the season in all departments of cheer, whether it was on the sideline cheering on the football players, or performing a pyramid sequence, or even doing multiple, connected jumps.”

The culmination of all the days, hours, and minutes put forth by the Warriors came into fruition in the form of a memorable intermission showing towards the conclusion of the football campaign. It laid the groundwork for what will go into a future phase of the entity with competitive cheer.

“The major accomplishment of the season was our end of the season halftime performance. I consider myself a competitive cheer coach, so I am fond of introducing the competitive style of cheer routines into a halftime performance,” said Ahmed. “The halftime performance also doubles as the main event the cheerleaders work towards during the season, and showcases to the spectators what the team has been working on throughout all this time. Since this was a rebrand of the program, there was an immense amount of pressure when debuting the routine, as it was a completely different approach than years prior.”

Within the halftime performance, some new items and maneuvers were incorporated into it that may have seemed foreign. Yet the girls grasped them with grace to the amazement and grand applause of the crowd–validating recognition of their efforts.

“New elements were introduced that spectators may not have seen from the team before, like multiple jumps and transitions into a stunt, new pyramid skills, and a dance with multiple levels,” Ahmed said. “After the team performed, it was positively received by spectators. It felt satisfying to not only hear compliments from the crowd, but the positive reactions gave the sense that this team is on track to do greater things in the future. Even the crowd interaction with the cheerleaders on the sideline throughout the season showed that we are being noticed and recognized for our work.”

What’s more satisfying from Ahmed’s perspective is the fact that each girl on the roster took risks that paid off in regards to learning new skill sets and techniques. Moreso within the micro community of the club, there was a present camaraderie, with each person ready and willing to lend a helping hand.

“The team made a lot of individual improvements. Every athlete on the team wanted to not only better themselves, but they were willing to take on critiques to enhance the team as a whole. Whether it was trying a new stunt position, such as attempting tumbling, fixing motion technique, or learning jumps, the team took initiative in wanting to become well-rounded cheerleaders,” said Ahmed. “The majority of the team also did a great job on having that drive to look presentable and sharp on the sidelines, so much so that before games, the team would get in a circle to go over the cheers, and help each other if someone wasn’t confident in one.”

The necessity to grow also drove some creativity and ingenuity within the club to draw others outside of their comfort zones. Still paramount above all else, the group eagerly awaited practice daily as a fun means of escape.

“Since this is a new and upcoming team, everyone tried to pitch in with ideas, or were willing to try new elements and tried to get comfortable with being adaptable. Most importantly, we all had fun throughout the season, as well. Whether someone had a stressful day at school, or were dealing with other circumstances, this team would bring everyone closer by having several supportive and cheerful moments like a family.”

For team awards, Amelia Martinez took home Most Improved Athlete, Jasmine Ferguson garnered the Scholar Athlete award, the Sportsmanship honor went to Hannah Bonilla, Abigail Greene was named Most Reliable, and Anna Eichholz was Most Valuable Athlete.

The Warriors had two junior captains that led them throughout this growing process with Isabel Schmelzer and Ferguson. They not only aided Ahmed as a valuable medium between the athletes and coach, but they also served as torchbearers to carry the message and mindset of growth throughout the squad.

“As veterans, they did a remarkable job leading the team this year, in addition to helping me out along the way to make my transition easier,” said Ahmed on the dynamic duo of captains. “Not only did they represent the program in a positive manner, but they were excellent role models, and supportive of other teammates. They were excited for the new changes that the season would bring. They were willing to bring the team up to that occasion, constantly reminding everyone of the end goal that was being achieved: a brand new look for Valley cheerleading.”

It has been over a decade and a half since the Warriors have seen the floor of a cheerleading competition. So as Valley (also part of a co-op with Old Lyme) looks to continue its numbers in terms of quantity and quality, Ahmed aspires to see the girls get into competition to stop that drought, and drink in the rewards of partaking in a competitive meet.

“After the showcase of our halftime routine and our sideline appearances throughout the season, I hope students can see that the cheer program at Valley is headed in a different direction. With this new direction, I hope to see more individuals interested in joining the team in future seasons to help grow the program even more,” said Ahmed. “We are also in a co-op with Old Lyme, so I hope to see even more participation from that school as well, to not only provide the opportunity for those students to be involved in the cheer experience, but also cheer on the co-op football program. My ultimate goal for the program is to have a competitive winter season. Valley has not competed in a cheer competition since 2008. I consider myself more of a competitive cheer coach, so it would be great to see this program headed into that direction, and I hope many students are, too. Competing can be a great and rewarding experience, and allows the athletes to perform in front of a crowd, showcasing their talents in the sport they love.”

The Valley cheerleading team roster this year was comprised of Schmelzer, Ferguson, Martinez, Bonilla, Greene, Eichholz, Ace Trippconey, Emily Brainerd, Emma Abramson, Kaydence Chambers, Mackenzie Anselmo-DePasquale, and Marco-Antonio Gonzaga.