Julia Besterfeldt Mary Timones Shani Austin Alice Ra Jenny Iglehart Kristin Jeffers Kinjal Patel Tiffany Rome Patty Young A.J. Campbell
Julia Besterfeldt
"Buffy"
This is Julia, one of the sweetest on the squad. Over the year she
improved and became one of best flyers on the squad. With her cheery
attitude and brightening smile, she added hopes and high expectations
to the squad. After two years of experience prior to this year, Julia
showed her "veteran attitude" by filling in spots wherever she was
needed. Being one of the only juniors on the squad, she understood that
the main flyers were going to be seniors...she didn't complain. She did
her job as a teammate.
On a personal note, Julia became one of my best friends. I love her to
death and she knows it. She helped me during a time that I doubted
myself and life. She decided to take on the challenge of being there for
me. Because before the season started I did not even know she existed.
But now we are best friends and I am glad I decided to go to her. She is
my angel. :)
Memorable Moment:
Last year we had a semester of gym together...it was called "Team Sports."
since she was one of my teammates, I had to make sure that no one ever
bothered or annoyed her...that was my job. Well, it turns out that there was a very
big football player in our class by the name of Ryan Faulhaber. Now, he was an
okay guy, but he was pretty scary and not very..umm...i dunno...good smelling.
One Julia came up to me in class and said, "okay, Joe. Everytime you see Ryan
come remotely near me...SAVE ME!!!" and me being the perfect gentlemen accepted
her challenge. So everyday after that whenever Ryan would even be walking in
her direction...I would tackle Julia or something foolish like that, just to
get him away. (hee hee) Well it worked! But she never would stunt with me during
class! (sorry, kinda off the subject!)
Alice Ra
"Ra-Ra"
This is Alice, one of the most talented on the squad. Before this season,
Alice did not have much flying experience. Well...that was her year to
start. She did not like to fly, in fact, she dreaded the thought. With a
little help from me and Jason...we got her over her fear. She cheered her
freshman year and half way through her junior year. Junior year her squad
(JV squad) placed 23rd at state. Then the next year her squad (our squad)
won second place. That's one great improvement!
On a personal note, I have to say that Alice has an AMAZING singing
voice.
Twice she has jerked tears straight from eyes. She is absolutely incredible.
Plus, she is a great dancer. So great, in fact, that her and I were dancing
partners for anything that required it: dance concert, cheerleading, musical,
swing choir, and even a cotillion.
Memorable Moment:
One of the first practices that we had at the beginning of the year, our
coach told us to stunt together. So, we decided to do toss-hands. Easy
enough, right? nope! It turned out that she piked on the way up and her
butt landed on my face. I thought it was kinda funny until I realized that
I was missing a tooth! So everytime since then my tooth gets scared when I
see her! (j/k)
Shani Austin
"Black Princess"
This is Shani, the co-captain of the squad. And I'll tell you this now, you
could tell that she was. The year before this year Shani and the varsity
squad won first in state. Well...this put a lot of pressure on our year, and
would occasionally remind us exacly how much pressure there actually was,
because she added some on to us. She would not accept anything less than 1st.
But neither would any of us. She put the determination in our hearts like no
one else could. How? I don't...that's Shani!
On a personal note, Shani being a very intense worker is also a very funny
person. If something was wrong she would make sure that anyone in a 3-mile
radius would know about it, by being very vocal about it. If you don't have
someone like that in your life, then you live a dull life, cuz you need someone
who will tell it like it is...and she definitely will!
Memorable Moment:
At almost all the basketball games Shani and Kristin always did the same thing.
When an opposing player is shooting a free-throw, the home cheerleaders are
supposed to move. Well, we are not other cheerleaders. Shani and
Kristin would do one of two things. They would either yell across the sideline
stuff like,"What are you doing after the game!!" or "I think I'm on my period!"to
distractthe shooter or they would flirt with the visiting players. An occasional
raisingof the skirt would occur or "hey number 22!' would be yelled. That's
Shani!
Jenny Iglehart
"Stick"
This is Jenny, my partner. After only one year of cheering on JV, she became
one of the main flyers on the varsity squad. Before she did not have much
experience coed partner stunting. Considering we never stunted before this
year, I'd say that we learned pretty fast as a couple. Whatever Ms. C told us
to do, we would not hesitate. We would maybe be a little scared but that would
all end when we would stick our stunt. Plus, I beleive Jenny is one of the
toughest girls. She practiced through injuries as annoying as a sprained ankle
and as severe as a concussion. And I'm not just exaggerating...I'm serious
with the injuries.
On a personal note, Jenny and I became did not just become
cheerleading teammates...we also became friends. Just like everyone else on
the squad, I did not really know her before I joined. Being partners for the whole
year created a trust between us that I never had before. She trusted me with her
life while she was in the air. And I trusted her not to come crashing down if
anything wrong happened. I never had that kind of trust in someone.
Memorable Moment:
The squad went to cheerleading camp at Northern Illinois University during the
summer. Craig (who graduated from Maine East) was our coach. He made us
do things that we never thought that we would do as a new squad. One of
those things is a liberty. When he told me and Jenny to that, I laughed. We were
both new to coed partner stunting and I had no idea what I was doing, even
after 30 explanations. There are two steps to this stunt: hands then the actually
liberty. Well we did the first step, but the second step confused me. Somehow she
ended up on my chest and she stood on my upper chest, pulling the liberty!
OUCH!
Mary Timones
"Lil' Mama"
This is Mary one of the veterans who played a major role on the squad. She was
also one of the cheerleaders who won state the year before and she wanted to
win again. With every group of individuals, there always is one baby. And Mary
is that individual. Every time Mary fell to the earth everybody on the squad
huddled around her and made sure that she was okay. We would sprint to get ice
or carry her to the training room on her command. But she would always spring
up no matter what the injury...like a good teammate should.
On a personal note,Mary was one of the girls that really convinced me to
join the squad. On the squad she was one of the only people who i actually was
friends with before the year began. We were already best friends before we were
teammates, so i always made sure that she was not hurt badly...you can say I babied
her. Being teammates did not affect our friendship, we had a different kind of
trust for each other.
Memorable Moment:
In our State routine, Mary and I do a toss hands together. And let me tell you, I
was very intimidated to that with her. She was the best flyer on the squad...and
me a rookie, had the oppourtunity to stunt with her. It was funny cuz we were best
and I was self-conscious that I was doing something wrong. And when I let her out
of the cradle I was so tense that I literally launched her out of my arms and she
would fly 5 feet in front of me. Eventually, she got upset and and calmly yelled
at me. Then I guess I had to fix that problem. In the whole routine...I was the most
nervous about that...but of course it stuck at state.
Tiffany Rome
"Duck"
Tiffany is another "young veteran" on the squad. She was also on the squad that won
state the year before. On the squad, she was not a very vocal person. She did what she
she was told to do and she did it right, with no complaints. She did not fly very
much...actually hardly at all, but she was one of the best girl bases that we had. She was
always kept her composure and never complained about never flying. She did whatshe had to
and she did it queitly...and right.
On a personal note,I guess the reason did not seem very vocal is because I guess I
never looked in her direction. I was always looking at the flyers (Jenny, Julia, and
Mary) that I guess that girl bases never caught my eye. But of course...towards the end of
the season when we started talking, I regreted not talking to her more. She is real cool and
I felt dumb for not trying to talk to her earlier.
Memorable Moment:
Last year, she asked me to go to Junior Prom with her. At that time I had a girlfriend,
so I was kinda confused on whether or not I should go. But I ended up having
a great time with her and our group. It turns out that a few more of the senior cheerleaders
were going to the Junior Prom also. Particularly alice and Jason. Tiffy wore a real
cool dress that night. It was one of those dresses that can be two colors at the same
from different angles. Personally, I thought that we were the best dressed couple in
the joint! We looked pretty good...I must admit and it so happens that that night was the
first time I ever took a real good picture at a dance. I'm glad I said yes.
Kinjal Patel
"Tigger"
Kinjal was yet another veteran from the state champion squad. She did not fly very often
just like Tiffany, but she was a great asset to the team. She was one of the only people
who would do tumbling passes, had toetouches that went to her ears (that's good if
you didn't know that) and double base anything under the sun. She was not as demanding as
Shani, but she wanted first place as bad as her (if not more). It was kinda rough on
us rookies putting all this pressure on us...but it made us do what we had to do.
On a personal note,Kinjal is quite a character. With her never-ending smile and happy
attitude, one would think her life was dandy. Kinjal went through a lot that year and it was
surprising that she could always have a smile on her face. Sure, at times she might let her
sorrows overtake her...but in general her strong attitude does not allow her to let
anything keep her down.
Memorable Moment:
On the ride home from one of the away games the varsity cheerleaders were being a
bit...what's the word?...loud and obnoxious, like we always are. Apparently, the JV coach,
Mr. K got upset with us and he started to scold us. (note: Ms. C was not on the bus!) He
can yell at us a lot. So finally Kinjal got so upset that she strted talking back to him.
As much as I wanted her to go on...I couldn't help but tell her to stop. Mary literally had
to restrain her and muzzle her with her hand. What happend after that you ask? Kinjal was
suspended from the team and was not allowed to compete in the State competetion...that
was suposed to be her punishment but Ms. C finally let her back on after two weeks.
"Kinjal...shhhhhh!"
Patty Young
"Bull"
Patty was on the JV squad the year Varsity won state. She, along with me, also had to
deal with the pressures from Shani and the old varsity squad. But she did not break. She
did not fly barely at all, but she was a very strong base and tumbler. She was contained
and she was a hard worker. Whether it was something as simple as a flip flop or as difficult
as a ground up extension...she put all of her heart into it. She was one of those teammates
that was the glue to keep a team together. She was one of our main tumblers and lemme
tell you...should could do flip flops to the moon!
On a personal note, Patty is a very intellegent young woman. It seemed that there
was nothing that she did not know. She was taking courses that I was taking and I was 1 year
older! Imagine how I felt.
Memorable Moment:
The year before I started cheerleading was actually the first time I met Patty. And it
struck me that she had reminded me of my best friend, Art. I guess because they were
both real smart. So I'd hang around Art and then I'd hang around Patty and it was like the
same person. After a while I gave them the name "twins" because they were so alike.
Kristin Jeffers
"Ice"
Kristin was the all around girl. She could fly, she could base, she could tumble, and she
could jump and she could dance. She gave the squad a type of attitude that would say,
"I know we're good...what about you?" But the odd thing is that she was not cocky. When we
performed as a squad she was one of the people that would loosen the tension by making us
laugh or reminding us how good we are. She kept our confidence high and our tension low.
On a personal note, Kristin is a great person. She could make you laugh easily or
lend a shoulder to cry on. Last year she was the lead role in our school musical "Meet Me
in St. Louis" and it was a blast working with her (I was a dancer). We would have a
great time at practices and when we'd perform she would loosen the tension by believing in
every one of us.
Memorable Moment:
During the course of last year, whenever Kristin would fly and I would be basing her, something
awkward would always occur. If she ever fell she would land on me..and in a way that
could look...bad. It turns out that everytime she would fall on me she would fall into
some kind of sexual position, like straddling me or her chest on my face or something
like that. It was strange because it would happen every time!
A.J. Campbell
"Peju"
A.J. is probably one of the more animated people on the team. It always appears that
there is never anything wrong in her life
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