It was less than a decade ago when Lauren Caldaronello, Valencia, cheered and competed on the Hart High School Cheerleading Squad as a team captain.
“I remember competing in the Florida Universal Cheerleaders Association competition and being so excited to be on the stages of theatres that I’d only seen on television. It was so much fun to win those trophies,” says Caldaronello, who now passes along the sacred traditions of the squad as a coach for today’s winning cheerleading squad.
“This squad is the best I’ve seen in a long time,” says Caldaronello, referring to the Varsity team of 20 young girls who work tirelessly to be impressive on the field and in competitions, “They suffer from the common things that happen to cheerleaders, like wrist sprains, broken ankles and sore backs, but, they are dedicated and just push through it, especially when they are competing.”
Commitment and experienced leadership have won the team multiple trophies this year, including first place at the California Interscholastic Federation state competition, first place at a recent Magic Mountain Championship competition against 16 others teams in their division and first place at the Universal Cheerleaders Association West Coast Championship competition in the large Varsity division.
They also won the Grand Champions title for a total score higher than any other team in the division.
Competition team captain, Candace Hollinger has a fond appreciation for Caldaronello.
“Since she was a cheerleader herself and has been through all the same things we’re going through, she always has the right thing to say. She helps push us to try harder and not give up,” says Hollinger.
Even though it’s been seven years since she competed, she stays in touch with her fellow cheerleaders who reminisce about the good old days chanting rehearsed cheers and doing stunts including basket tosses and heel stretches. It is a physically-challenging sport.
“I have fond memories of having our arms all around each other and yelling for our team to win. It was the best,” says Caldaronello.
Nicole Chiominto is a freshman on the Hart cheer squad and remembers watching the cheerleading squad when her friends’ brothers played on the football team.
“I was only 10-years-old and we’d practice the cheers along with them,” remembers Chiominto.
Now, as a flyer, she loves the physical challenge and the feeling of belonging.
“I wouldn’t know what to do after school if I wasn’t on the squad. I’d be lonely,” says Chiominto, who plans to try-out again for the squad this month, as all of the girls need to do from year-to-year. After all, it’s a tradition.
Days are long for Caldaronello who teaches High School Algebra by day, cheerleading after school and then works-out herself.
“I’m really tired when I get home at night, but my husband is supportive. He does the dishes. He still resists going to the games just like he did when we were in school, but, he did go to the last competition and he said he actually had fun,” says Caldaronello, with the true spirit of a cheerleader who still wants everyone to join in the fun of a sporting event.
