Gilmer High’s competition cheerleaders have been busy in recent months honing this season’s routine.
Ahead of the summer, cheerleaders were in the weight room beginning in March to work on conditioning and strength training, which ran through the end of spring. They also got time on the mat to focus on tumbling one day per week to ensure they arrived in peak shape when summer practices got underway June 6.
“I think we’ve started a trend in the program to really build some strength and endurance in the girls and train them in a way that is very sport specific so it would better them for the rest of the year,” head coach Naomi Esparza said.
“During our conditioning time, that’s really what we focused on. As we transitioned into the summer, we started to do even more sport specific drills to help the girls improve for routine specific skills.”
Four cheerleaders graduated off last season’s competition squad. There is a total of 31 cheerleaders in the program and that includes both varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders. Esparza believes the roster will continue to expand as the program at Clear Creek flourishes.
“We’re finally at a place where we’ve had girls come through the middle school program, so I think we’ll start to see the trend of having more seniors. This year we have four seniors again, but starting next year, we should have quite a bit more,” said Esparza.
In the middle of June, Chris Griffin of Gladiator Gymnastics came to the GHS gym for a three day choreography camp. Cheerleaders were in the gym for six hours per day learning the routine they will use at competitions this season. Griffin has continued to work with cheerleaders one day per week
“He is a choreographer and coach out of Calhoun and has been really great. He brings a really good energy to our program, and I think the girls have really responded to him,” Esparza said.
Each year in every sport is different. Even a small changeover affects the team, its makeup and chemistry. Esparza thinks this group has the ability to expand upon the routine compared to past years.
“We added some skills and new things to our routine that we haven’t been able to do in the past. I’m excited to see that come to fruition,” Esparza said.
“I think the routine is going to score really well. It’s high paced, and we have a really strong group of tumblers. Through our choreography, we were really able to highlight some of that, and I think it’s going to be an exciting year.”
Gilmer’s choreography camp ran concurrently with its youth mini-camp. Choreography started in the afternoon and ran into the evening while the youth camp took place in the morning. The camp was very popular once again as over 160 attended.
“That was great. It’s one of our favorite times of the year,” Esparza said. “It’s our biggest fundraiser, but one thing we have tried to focus on as a program is to really pour that back into the community.
“I think it’s important to build up athletes, but it’s more important to build a program that’s community focused, and the mini-camp is a time we can highlight that. The girls worked with those younger groups and helped them not just athletically but with also things like team building.”
Esparza noted the team has dealt with some regular bumps and bruises that comes with cheerleading, but they are healthy and injury free. The team will continue to train and work during July and will get into regular season practice once school starts in August.