By: Gabby Palacios
Beginning on the week of February 24, PHS held tryouts for the 2020-2021 cheerleading team. At the first practice, the twenty-nine candidates began putting together a routine with the help of Geometry teacher and former head sponsor, Mrs. Roberson.
On Saturday, February 29, the girls performed two jumps, a dance, a cheer, and the PHS Fight Song dance routine in front of judges from the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA). Twelve girls have made the varsity squad, and the JV squad is now made up of 6 girls. Due to a lack of candidates, the team currently does not have a mascot. However, the group is planning to make some changes regarding community involvement and the performance of the varsity and JV squads as a whole.
Mrs. Rutherford, the new cheerleading sponsor states, “I am a Pleasanton High School alum. My whole family is from Pleasanton and we are very prideful in our community, and I think we need to step up our game as far as spirit and community involvement in our schools… I want the cheer squad to be very visible in the community… and spotlight our school…”
Neviz Rodriguez, the cheerleading manager, states, “Most of our improvement is going to come down to cooperating with one another and being open with each other… and the group as a whole and how they’re going to choose to work with each other and through certain problems.”
We are excited to see what the new team has in store for us. Congratulations ladies!
Freshman Sirrah Maxwell and Sophomores Linda Sanchez and Noelani Guerrero pictured before their tryouts.
Varsity:
Juniors- Gabby Palacios, Natalie Contrerez, Erica Santee, Lynda Rodriguez, Diya Chandra
Sophomores- Linda Sanchez, Noelani Guerrero, Melanie Douglas
Freshmen- Brooke Rankin, Riley Porter, Paige David, Sirrah Maxwell
Junior Varsity:
Freshman- Desiree Duran
8th graders- Emree Adamitz, Alexandria Balderas, Alejandra Martinez, Megan Mayse, McAda Rutherford