“T-I-G-E-R-S! Paws up!” As the fall cheer season comes to an end, the Tenafly Varsity cheerleaders quickly adjust their skills in preparation for the winter cheer season. While many people believe that these two categories of cheer are the same,  they really are not. So what are the differences between fall and winter cheer?

You may have seen THS’s fall cheerleaders on the sidelines of Friday night football games or at the fall pep rally, however, the behind-the-scenes for the events are unknown to most. Our cheerleaders attend every varsity football game, including away games, and show up hours early for home games to colorfully decorate the stands with themed streamers and balloons. Before the season starts, the fall cheerleaders attend cheer camp during the last week of August, a four-day retreat hosted by the Universal Cheerleaders Association at Chestnut Lake in Pennsylvania, and train with professional cheerleaders to get ready for the hustle and bustle of the new season. Captain Grace Bosco (’24) said that cheer camp is her favorite part of fall cheer, as “it is a productive bonding experience for our new team as we practice outside for nine hours each day in the blazing sun.” 

While the fall cheer season is where our cheerleaders display their tiger pride, the winter season is their time to shine! Fall cheer focuses more on supporting other teams, but the winter competitive season involves a difficult three-minute routine consisting of high-risk stunts and tumbling. The intense pressure and commitment of winter cheer is shown right off the bat, as the season kicks off with a six-hour material day where Curtis Van Dross, a professional cheer choreographer, teaches the Tenafly cheerleaders advanced stunts and fresh dances. With this choreography, our cheerleaders compete at various competitions, such as the Big North mini meets and the Golden Bear Invitational. Although this fierce environment may seem lighthearted, there is a great deal of dedication required in a competitive cheerleader. “The winter season is my favorite, but it is also extremely tiring,” Captain Ariel Furumoto-Cheh (’24) said. “Our girls are often passed out on the floor by the end of the three-minute routine which we do over and over again for our daily two-hour practices.

If you’re interested in trying out for this upcoming winter cheer season, stop by the wrestling gym after school from October 30 to November 1 for try-outs.