Milford Pop Warner Cheerleaders are seeking funds to travel to Nationals in Orlando, Florida, in December.
Pop Warner’s PeeWee Cheerleader Team are heading to Nationals to compete in a Level 3 Skills Routine after successful competitions at the Henlopen and Regional competitions. Nationals will be held December 4 through December 10.
“It costs a significant amount of money for each cheerleader to get to Nationals,” Kristy Wise said. “In order to raise funds, they are holding tag nights at Grotto Pizza in Milford and Williamsville Store. They have placed donation jars in a few businesses. We have been seeking donations on Facebook, reaching out to local businesses and holding bake sales.”
According to Wise, cheerleading provides many benefits to both boys and girls, including team building skills, social connections and relationships.
“Cheerleaders incorporate strength training and physical endurance as well,” Wise said. “The sport requires focus, coordination and skill along with athleticism and discipline.”
The cheerleaders heading to nationals also agree that the sport is important. Delay Weissberg stated that her favorite part of cheerleading is the stunts while Riley Robinson said that practice was “hard but worth it.”
“I used to think cheer was competition, but after these few years I have begun to realize it’s more than that,” Dakota Wise said. “It’s spending time with your friends and having fun. I have bonded with these girls and cheer has changed my life. All of my life, I wanted to be a cheerleader and here I am, cheering with the people that I love and having more fun than I have had in a while. I will always look back at my past and remember when I cheered, and I will always remember these girls.”
Blanka Thornton echoed Dakota’s sentiments.
“Cheer has changed my life,” Thornton said. “You think it’s something to do after school, but now they are your family and your team you can always count on after all the school stress. I have been doing cheer for three years and each year I get closer and closer to my team for the better. You always know when you have your true friends and you always feel welcome here.”
A few of the cheerleaders offered words of advice. Rylee Ward stated that it was important to “practice like you never won and perform like you never lost” while Kate Wilson pointed out that “life is a treasure and treasures should be cherished.”
Anyone who would like to donate toward the trip to Nationals, which will be held in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, can contact Milford Pop Warner at [email protected] and additional information will be sent to them.
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