MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Web site, cheerleading continues to be one of the most dangerous sports in the United States, but that doesn’t stop the cheerleaders at Matthew C. Perry High School from shaking their pom poms.
As part of their initiation into this season’s squad, the cheerleaders raced across the station Sept. 25, chanting and cheering as they completed various tasks, such as teaching Marines cheers in the Crossroads and dressing people up in crazy outfits at the Thrift Store.
There are five athletes returning to the squad this season and 11 new athletes joining them to show pride in their school by supporting their team and encouraging the crowd to get a little rowdy.
“We want them to have fun, show their school spirit and get the community involved,” said Rebekah Kistka, head coach.
The squad is coached by four dedicated volunteers, Kistka, Leah Novak, Ariel Enoch and Essence Laboy, whose main objective is to make sure the squad members are properly trained. They have more than 25 years of combined experience and their goal this season is to achieve unity, responsibility and self-confidence.
“We have more girls, more coaches, which means we have greater diversity and experience on the squad. Expect to see [the cheerleaders] doing their very best, working together to improve their team and school spirit, and always possessing a positive attitude,” said Kistka.
The squad will perform at all home basketball games and will compete in the Iwakuni Far East Cheerleading Clinic scheduled for Nov. 9-13 at the IronWorks gymnasium.