The Severna Park High School cheer team has been working hard all season with one main goal in mind: placing in the top three at the state competition. With long practices, team bonding, and constant dedication, varsity coach, Brooke Glasgow said the Falcons are ready to compete.
The girls keep busy during the competition season. “We typically have one competition and one basketball sideline game per week and at least four nights of practice” Glasgow said. Placing 7th in the region last year, her hope is for her team to do even better this year.
“Honestly, our biggest competition is ourselves the week before. Cheer is a subjective sport and our division changes from fall to winter. We try to increase our skills and constantly change our routine weekly as we progress in stunting and tumbling” Glasgow said.
Junior cheerleader and transfer student Allie Gheewala said, “My goal for this season is to place top three at states, since that’s been our team’s focus all year.” However, she said “Even if we don’t reach that goal, I still hope that we can come together as a team to perform a routine we’re truly confident in and make our coaches proud. Most importantly, I want us to hit a clean routine with zero deductions and give it our all.”
Junior Brennan Karney hopes that her team does just as well in the winter as they did this fall, saying how much they have improved in the last year.
But for many team members, the season isn’t just about competing, it’s about the friendships and community that have formed along the way. “The community within SP Cheer is truly amazing and I’m so grateful to be a part of it,” Gheewala shared. “Coming into this school year as a new transfer student, I was nervous at first, but the girls on the team immediately made me feel welcome and at home. Everyone is so supportive and we’re all like one big family that always has each other’s backs.”
As the team prepares for states, their goal goes beyond trophies or rankings. Whether they place or not, the Falcons are proud of the hard work and dedication they’ve put into their routines.
