Gilmer High School cheerleaders have been back in the gym following a competition season that was prolonged by three months because of COVID-19.
Head coach Naomi Esparza and staff used March as brief a recovery period and they started offseason conditioning and weight training in April. Gilmer’s competition roster consists of 16 cheerleaders, and nine are new to the varsity scene so strength training was an early focus.
“We gave them some time off to so their bodies could heal, which didn’t seem like much after such a long season,” Esparza said. “They were lifting weights in the spring and doing some cardiovascular things to try and get them back in conditioning mode, especially for those new girls to know what is expected of them and what conditioning looks like at the high school. Strength is our foundation, and without that, I couldn’t expect them to do what they needed to do.
“Then in the summer is when we really kick off our foundation building with choreography camp.”
Gilmer attended choreography camp in June to install the basic elements of this season’s routine. Esparza opted to use a choreographer she had previously used in the past before he moved away from the area.
“He’s really good with team dynamics and working with the girls regardless of their level, which is important when you’re putting a routine together for a new team,” Esparza said. “We were in there for four hours the first day assessing what the girls could do then started building the routine on the second day.”
Cheerleaders have also traveled to the choreographer’s gym in Canton once per week to work on tumbling and gym skills outside of regular GHS practices.
“It’s nice to have a familiar face who is familiar with Gilmer, and our girls and can focus on our needs and our wants,” Esparza said.
Esparza was pleased with Gilmer’s offseason and hopes they can continue the positive momentum they have built.
“I’m always proud of the girls, and it’s really nice to see different leaders step up,” she said. “A big thing we work on is building character, and the girls are showing that in more ways than one. As a coach, my job is not just about building good athletes but also making sure they’re good leaders in our community and school. I think that’s really paying off in our program.”
GHS will continue with its competition preparations with the season set to start in September. Sideline cheerleaders will be in the gym next week working on their game day routine.
“We’re hoping to finish the summer strong by building and laying that foundation with a lot of new girls that we have,” Esparza said. “The team is still pretty new, and I think getting to know each other and building some team dynamics is super important.”