By Sapna Pathak
Staff Writer

Observer/Bruce Preston Pelham Cheerleader Amanda Carnazzo performs during the 23rd Annual Cheerleading Championships, Saturday, January 14 at Southern New Hampshire University. The Pelham Pythons took first place in the Class I portion of the competition for the second year in a row.

It’s intense, physical and, at times, dangerous. But for all the practice and potential hazards associated with cheerleading, the opportunity for these dedicated athletes to be in the spotlight for just 180 seconds makes the entire experience worthwhile.

The latest chance to cheer and dance took place on Jan. 14, when squads from across New Hampshire participated in one of the state’s biggest cheerleading competitions.

Invading Southern New Hampshire University, 26 high school spirit squads showcased serious skills at the Kiwanis Club of Manchester’s 23rd annual competition.

“It’s a big deal. The majority of these teams have never even competed in front of a crowd this size,” said Fred Bishop, a Kiwanis Club member who oversaw the event. “People don’t realize how intense of a sport this really is until they come to an event like this.”

Competing with passion

The intensity of the sport is matched by its difficulty. A team’s performance can include tumbling runs, partner stunts, gymnastic stunts, pyramid formations and dance routines.

According to Dr. Sally Harris, a sports medicine and pediatrics specialist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation in California, more than 50 percent of all serious injuries suffered by female athletes result from cheerleading.

Coaches and their approaches

During a competition, the level of competitiveness varies from squad to squad, often a reflection of the coach’s attitude.

Doris Gamache, head coach for Goffstown High, said she didn’t want her team to focus on the event’s competitive nature.

“This is our first time at Kiwanis,” said Gamache, whose team finished third in the Class L division. “It’s more entertainment than anything. I’m not making it competitive and stressing the girls out.”

Gamache also said her coaching philosophy incorporates reverse psychology.

Rather than setting expectations for her team, she allows the girls to set the standard. The approach has worked for GHS; the Grizzlies placed fifth in last year’s state competition.

Gamache said the outcome was a complete surprise to everyone. Her team had never finished in the top half of the state’s standings.

In addition, Gamache said she doesn’t compare her team to other squads or compete with other coaches. Likewise, she doesn’t pressure her girls to perform stunts that make them feel uncomfortable just to impress an audience.

Pelham High head coach Michelle Parisi takes an opposite, yet equally effective, approach to Gamache. Pelham’s mentor said her goal is to push the girls to the next level.

The Lady Pythons repeated as Class I champions at the Kiwanis competition.

“We may be a Class I team, but I have my girls doing Class L routines,” Parisi said. “We’ve been at competitions where we’ve scored higher than the Class L teams there. That’s what I want from these girls.”

Similarly, Salem head coaches Tracy Berube and Colleen O’Shea are “supercompetitive,” according to Parisi.

Berube described the event’s atmosphere as “very ultra competitive.” The Salem coach said she aims to maintain that mindset with her team.

“It’s gotten worse in the past few years,” Berube said. “Teams want to win so bad that they’ll do anything to get that first place trophy.” The mentality of Berube and O’Shea also works; Salem finished first among Class L teams.

In fact, the coaches’ vision is shared by the athletes. Having participated in a spirit event in Rhode Island earlier in the day, the Blue Devils still managed to make the trip home in time for the evening competition at SNHU.

John Stark’s Danielle Tirrell and Manchester Central’s Mia Vetri both said their teams weren’t stressed before beginning their routines.

Tirrell and Vetri described themselves as competitive in a silent fashion. They said their girls are aware winning is the ultimate goal. Still, if they don’t finish first, the athletes know the coaches will continue to hold them in high regard.

Pembroke Academy, which was second to Pelham, is an extremely emotional team, according to head coach Donna Ong. Emotions, Ong added, are tied to every performance regardless of outcome.

“It’s inevitable. You sacrifice so much of yourself to be a cheerleader,” Ong said. “Sometimes people see a girl crying after a botched routine and they think ‘Wow, that coach must be crazy.’ But the coach has nothing to do with it.”

Carryl Hauser, a judge at the Kiwanis competition and former cheerleader, said the sport has completely revamped its image in the past few years.

“It’s so different than when I did it in high school in '94,” Hauser said. “There are so many little things that you’re judged on, and so many things you want to be perfect about, that you sometimes just get overwhelmed.”

With so many complex stunts to learn, it’s easy to see how the chance for serious injury surfaces.

In an article by Yvette J. Brown of CWK.com, Brown wrote, “Emergency room visits have increased five fold in the past 20 years. In 2001, there were 25,000 hospital visits for cheerleading injuries to the ankle, shoulder, head and neck.”

More chances to cheer

School pep rallies and Friday night basketball games are giving way to national and local competitions. As a result, cheerleaders are devoting more time to practicing and becoming more competitive as the sport’s popularity grows.

According to ESPN, the number of cheerleaders has tripled to more than three million in the past eight years. It’s now considered one of the most dangerous school sports.

At SNHU, the bragging rights associated with winning Kiwanis took precedence over the fact that the state competition was just weeks away.

Several coaches said their athletes were willing to risk injury at Kiwanis, which could sideline them for the state meet in Durham at the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, Feb. 11.

“It’s got a bad reputation,” Ong said of cheerleading. “People don’t realize how important this is to the girls. It bothers me (that many people) just see the skirts. Just move on and get past it. It goes deeper than a short skirt. It’s about being a true athlete.”