(Editor’s note: This is the fourth article in a series of CYO Varsity division cheer stories SILive.com will focus on leading up the Island championships in March.)
When it comes to sports, it’s fair to say coaches are supposed to push their athletes past their comfort zone.
However, while that usually entails practicing new skills or putting more work into honing their craft, Our Lady Queen of Peace’s varsity cheer program took it a step further with the inception of its Game-Day team.
“We always wanted to do it and did a lot of research on it, and we really wanted to push our girls beyond something they’re comfortable with,” said coach Courtney Gonnella. “We wanted to teach them that they’re resilient, strong and capable of doing new things and pushing them beyond their limits.
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OLQP looks to be bigger and better with inception of its Game-Day team
But, while OLQP’s coaching staff was ready for the change, it didn’t come without external support. Turning to current Ursuline School head coach John Braca, who previously coached on Staten Island, the team was able to find its footing in the division.
“When the opportunity came we knew we were ready and just needed the help to create the routine, which is when we turned to John,” added Melissa Harkins, with Molly Maloy rounding out the staff. “He’s been doing it for a long now and has won championships, so we pulled in the best and asked him to help us.
“With him also having roots in Staten Island, it was nice to pull in someone that knew about Game-Day and what happens on Staten Island.”
And now, with roughly a month and a half until its final competition, the Queens certainly feel they’ve evolved enough to leave a mark in their first year.
With a veteran-heavy roster, OLQP looks to challenge itself to become bigger and better with the inception of its Game-Day team. (Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)(Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)
“The girls have definitely gotten more comfortable – at first it was very awkward for them because they had to be ‘silly’ while energetic the whole time. That was difficult for them, but they’ve learned from watching the high school teams compete at Nationals and getting a better picture of what they need to do,” added Gonnella. “Our parents are getting into it now too – asking for the words to the cheer and practicing it at home with them.
“They’ve really gone above and beyond this season, and it’s bringing it all together because both the girls and the fans are ready.”
Coming off of two tough losses in CYO competition last year, the coaching staff feels its now-veteran roster will bring the school back to winning it all come March.
With a veteran-heavy roster, OLQP looks to challenge itself to become bigger and better with the inception of its Game-Day team. (Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)(Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)
“We told them at the beginning of the season that, now being upperclassmen, we had to push them more. They really stepped into that role, especially our seventh-graders,” said Harkens. “They’re the reason we’ll have success this year, as they keep pushing their skills and asking what they could do to make it better – [whether] it’s spinning to one leg instead of two or removing a base in some stunts.”
Gonnella and Harkens also noted an increased focus on tumbling this season, with twelve girls involved in the section opposed to just three last year, along with putting in more advanced skills.
“They’re trying to better their tumbling and jumps because they know those are areas we can’t miss on, and while we used to take the loss on [the lack of tumbling] that’s not the case anymore,” added Harkens, highlighting Island All-Starz for their efforts in helping the squad. “Inversions were also a foreign language to them, so in the summer we worked with Moore’s [cheer team] and had Hill girls come to our practice to get under it and show them what it should feel like.
“One day it just clicked and they really amazed us.”
With a veteran-heavy roster, OLQP looks to challenge itself to become bigger and better with the inception of its Game-Day team. (Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)(Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)
Now, in the final stretch of its season, the Queens are prioritizing cleanliness and maximizing the routine’s impact as the main event approaches.
“Cheerleading is always about technique, execution and cleanliness – we actually taught them the word the other day, and put bubbles on the back of their competition bows to remind them of their goal,” concluded Harkens. “Execution will get them where they need to be, so we want them to do what they have to do, be clean and just be proud of themselves.”
With a veteran-heavy roster, OLQP looks to challenge itself to become bigger and better with the inception of its Game-Day team. (Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)(Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)
CHEERLEADER’S CORNER
The Staten Island Advance/SILIVE.com, to highlight some of the young cheerleaders spending multiple days a week practicing and preparing for competition, spoke with seventh-graders Charlotte Tala-Tala (main base) and Grace Waters (side base) to get their thoughts on the season.
What is your favorite routine to perform and why?
CT: My favorite is traditional, because I personally love doing lots of stunts along with tumbling and jumping. I think, when the whole team does it, it’s just so cool and fun to see when people just fly up in the air. It’s just amazing.
GW: My favorite routine is Game-Day because I love the crowd interaction and how everyone gets all hyped. It just gives me so much love inside my body.
What’s one goal you have for the season?
CT: To hit all of our stunts – I want everyone to be happy for what they’ve worked hard for all year long.
GW: To make traditions with my team – I want them to remember me and remember all I did for and with them.
What’s one pre-competition ritual you have?
CT & GW: We do our handshake together and, before we go to the competition, we get Starbucks and it makes up all hyped up. I get a pink drink with chocolate cold foam (CT) and I get a strawberry acai refresher with lemonade, light ice and no berries (GW).
With a veteran-heavy roster, OLQP looks to challenge itself to become bigger and better with the inception of its Game-Day team. (Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)(Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)