Camp Connects Different Ages of Harrison Cheerleaders

The unmistakable sound of high school cheers has been echoing through the fields of Brentwood Park this week, but it's not just the varsity team getting a jump on their upcoming season.

The girls varsity and junior varsity teams are hosting a camp this week for elementary and middle school students interested in learning the basics of cheerleading.

"It kind of gives the girls the opportunity to be really introduced to cheerleading," said Allie Fuller, a senior on the varsity squad.

Almost 40 girls signed up for this year's summer camp. This is the second time the varsity team has held the week-long camp, which also serves as a fundraiser for the upcoming season. Girls spend the week learning cheers and basic routines before performing for parents at the end of the day Friday.

"It teaches me all the stuff I need to know so when I get older I can tryout for Harrison cheerleading," said Krystal Shaw, a sixth grader.

"I like how you get to work with the varsity girls," added fellow sixth grader Alycia Belmont.

The camp is also and opportunity to promote cheerleading to younger girls. Last year's varsity team in Florida. Recent teams have also begun to pile up awards from local competitions.

"Every year we have more girls introduced to cheerleading, we hopefully have more girls trying out and we'll have a bigger team," said Fuller. "Harrison cheerleading has really come a long way."

The varsity girls said they were encouraged by some of the same faces from last year's camp returning this summer. After all, the young campers could be the ones leading the varsity themselves someday.

"Even though this is just the second year, you are really building a program by seeing the same faces," said Christie Suozzo, who is also a senior cheerleader this year. "Usually girls get to the high school in ninth grade and they're already a soccer player or they're already a volleyball player, so they don't know cheerleading, it's not an option for them. This might open some doors."

For now, though, the week is an opportunity for younger girls to work with their older counterparts and see if cheerleading is something they would like to pursue.

"They're, like, really good," sixth grader Gianna Menniti said of the varsity girls. "It's fun because you get to see what you're going to do when you are that age."