Under the bright stadium lights on a Friday night, the atmosphere of a football game is almost electric with a cheering crowd, enthusiastic cheerleaders, and a committed team working hard to secure a win. There is something very unique about the atmosphere of spirit and pride created at each game. The commitment and preparation by the cheerleaders to ensure that each game is filled with an energized atmosphere, that makes students feel so proud to be a part of, often goes often unnoticed.

The cheerleading program at BV West has a deeper level of involvement than just the typical sideline supporters. From boosting all-around school spirit, to competitions, the cheer squads are busy all year long helping to make the Jaguar family as strong as it can be.

There are many traditions at BV West that have lasted throughout the years, some of them originating with the cheerleaders. From the fight song dance to the class competition, the cheerleaders have the ability to instill a strong sense of school spirit.

Cheerleading coach and 2008 alum Mallory Baird helped create the choreography that the cheerleaders perform during the fight song.

“I know not everyone at the school does it,” senior captain Lauren Michelson said. “But when you are at assemblies, and you see people doing it, those are motions that the cheerleaders made up. And we’ve just continued that tradition from then on.”

Likewise, cheerleading coach and alum Kara David helped establish the class competition.

“It’s really cool that we have coaches that implemented those traditions because they’re the ones coaching and helping us make our own traditions,” Michelson said.

Sign painting is another tradition at BV West. Every Wednesday the cheerleaders can be found in the commons for three to five hours working on signs. Unlike the other schools, the cheerleaders hand-draw and paint every sign rather than trace a projection.

Cheerleading season spans across most of the year, making it the longest sport season at BV West.

“Cheer season pretty much ends in the beginning of March with our banquet,” senior captain Sophie Kolkhorst said. “We then have tryouts the week after spring break, making the offseason only a couple of weeks between.”

Despite being at the mercy of other sports, cheerleading has its own schedule as well. From the month of August to November, the girls are kept busy by not only cheering at sporting events, but having their own practices and preparing for their two competitions during the year. In years past, the team has only performed at one competition at BV Southwest, but this year, the team is also competing at one in Topeka on November 18th.

“We have the showcase that is at Blue Valley Southwest on November 11th with all of the other high schools, where we do a competitive routine that’s around two-and-a-half minutes long,” senior captain Katie Walesh said. “And then the one after that is in Topeka. It’s varsity cheerleading state.”

Similar to the way other sports compete at a state level, the cheerleaders will now have the opportunity to place based upon their performed “gameday components” in Topeka.

“As captains, that is one of our main goals this year is to place high at the state competition because it has never been done before for a West cheer team, or any cheer team in Kansas,” Michelson said. “So if we can succeed and do really well at this competition, it’s going to be awesome.”

Due to the fact that there are now two competitions, the cheerleaders are asking that students come out and support them, just as they do for the other athletes.

“We love cheering on our players and being there to support them, but no one really understands the hard work that goes into being a cheerleader,” Michelson said. “Although we’re standing on the sidelines cheering on our teams, we need people to cheer us on at our competitions. Our freshman year we had an entire student section come out and support us, and to see that happen again this year with our student body would be really awesome.”

While the school year is packed full of events for the cheerleaders, they are also kept busy during the summer with cheer camp, the car wash fundraiser, and a choreography camp.

During cheer camp, the team learns cheers that they will perform during the season, adding to the long list of cheers that have already become a tradition at BV West. Also, the captains will design additional cheers to be used throughout the year.

“If anyone has a cheer, we’re all for it,” Kolkhorst said. “By the end of football games, we’ll start to run out of the traditional cheers.”

The cheerleading class first hour is run a little differently now that coach David, the head cheerleading coach, is also an English teacher at BV West.

“It’s nice to have her there to keep everything in control,” Michelson said “While we [the captains] come up with and teach all of the material, coach David is there as an ally for us if people start to mess around.”

With strong traditions and active involvement, the cheer program only seems to be growing. To keep these ideals in place, new cheerleaders who exhibit these values are welcomed to the squad each year through the tryout process. Cheer tryouts are at the end of March, and consists of a week full of learning, practicing, and performing different cheers.

“The week consists of clinics Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday,” Kolkhorst said. “Where Monday you learn the actual routine and then on Tuesday and Wednesday you’ll work to perfect it. And then on Thursday you’ll tryout.”

Trying out for cheerleading involves a lot of work and practice for a single routine, which can make the week stressful. The judges will look at so many different factors that each potential cheerleader must give their all in that moment. Spirit is one of the biggest components that the judges look at, making it crucial that each cheerleader has energy and passion in the tryout.

“It’s not only material that they look at, they take teacher and coach recommendations into account,” Walesh said. “So you could be the best cheerleader in the world, but if you don’t have a good attitude or good character, you’re done.”

Yet every year cuts are made and new people are added to each team.

“It’s really hard to have one of your friends, who you’ve been cheering alongside for so long, get cut,” Lauren Michelson said.

For those interested in trying out for cheerleading, captain Katie Walesh has a few words of advice.

“Give it a shot,” Walesh said. “As long as you give it your all and you want to do this for yourself and for the school, then definitely try out. Because, although it may seem stressful, it’s been some of the best years of my life.”

Unlike any other sport, cheerleading season goes almost year round and requires a deep level of commitment. Their support and encouragement for the students and athletes at BV West is an important part of Jaguar pride and tradition. The upcoming cheerleading competitions are an opportunity for the BV West community to show their support for the cheerleaders.

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Photo by Liliana Jones