Club Cheerleading
Est. 2005
Coaches
Kate Palmer - Coach
kpalmer@hcc-nd.edu
Sara Whitfield - Advisor
swhitfield@hcc-nd.edu
Sara Gallo - Advisor
sgallo@hcc-nd.edu
Pep is the Key
With the Saints athletic program growing steadily every year, the College needs some leaders to rally the fans! The most popular women’s sport, but also an opportunity for men, cheerleading jumped onto the scene last academic year as the brainchild of student Katelyn Palmer.
I’m very much into school spirit,” she says. “People should take pride that they go to Holy Cross.” Palmer had the spirit, and she also had the skill. She has been a cheerleader and a coach for multiple age groups.
“My mom is in charge of the entire program for the pee-wee league,” she says. “So when I get home [from college] in May I make up all the dances for the squad, and I coach them all summer.” When Palmer launched the team last year, she used those skills to create cheers for the Saints.
“We were the guinea pigs last year,” cheerleader Amara Zielinksi says. “We didn’t really know what to expect and what we were going to do, but K.P. [Katelyn Palmer] did the stunts and routines.”
Go Team
This year the squad more than doubled in size! It’s 22-strong, including seven men and two women from Saint Mary’s College. The bigger size certainly hasn’t stopped the squad from becoming a team.
“I like the squad bonding,” says Zielinski. “I like doing things before the game, getting pumped up for it.”
“You have to be able to trust everyone on your squad and everyone works together,” Palmer says. This is especially true when stunting.
“I really like stunting because it works every muscle in your body,” says Palmer. “And it’s a sense of accomplishment when you hit an awesome pyramid.” She says stunting brings an adrenaline rush, probably because it can be dangerous – one of the lesser known extreme sports!
“I loved stunting, but I can’t anymore,” says Zielinski. “I did a basket toss, and she [the flyer] came down, and I dislocated my shoulder. I still stuck with it and just do the cheers now and the dances.”
The cheerleaders try to go to all the athletic competitions they can, but they are required to go to all basketball games. The cheering, bonding, stunting and dancing is fun, but according to Zielinski, the highlight of last year’s season was being thanked by the basketball team.
“They all said after every game they were so happy that we came, and I just thought it was really nice of them to say that to us.”
This spring the team hopes to organize a spirit week, and next year they are considering cheering competitively.
More Information?
For more information please contact:
Nathan Walker
Athletic Director
Office: Driscoll 101
Phone: (574) 239-8335
Contact Student Athletics Online
Michael Hodge
Sports Information
Office: Driscoll 101
Phone: (574) 239-8314
E-Mail: mhodge@hcc-nd.edu
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