By: Rachel Frederick

Winter season has come and you know what that means? It is time for girls winter sports! Basketball and cheerleading are the two main sports for girls here at Eisenhower High School. Going to a basketball game gets you pumped up and excited and, now to make things even better, the cheerleaders have decided to cheer at the girls games as well. Basketball is a very competitive sport that gets your adrenaline going just as a spectator. Up until the very last buzzer of the game, you’re on your toes and biting your tongue, no matter what the score is. It’s aggressive, fast, and definitely contains a lot of conditioning and hard work. Cheerleading takes talent and takes major trust within each of your teammates.

There is so much dedication that has to go into both sports, especially when you want to win. In basketball, you have to be fast, committed, conditioned, and strong and, no matter how the games go, you cannot let it get you down. It’s one sport that you have to definitely train for and you definitely have to be ready to take a hit.

While cheerleading might not be as suspenseful as basketball, it takes a lot of work and comes with some big risks.  Cheerleading can be a dangerous sport; you have to trust your team to catch you, to have your back, and to remember all of the cheers that you’ll use.

The Squire interviewed a couple basketball players and a cheerleader to see what they think about their season and what they expect to see for this year.

The Squire: How do you think your basketball season is going to go?

Lilee Renninger: I think we have the potential to do great, but a lot of hard work and dedication must be put in.

TS: What are the strengths and weaknesses on the basketball team?

Shelby Kuzminski: I think our size is probably our biggest strength overall and finishing is our greatest weakness at this point in the season.

TS: As a captain of the basketball team, how do you think you team looks overall?

Lydia Giannini: I think we truly look strong and promising.

TS: Who do you think your biggest competition will be this year?

Lydia Giannini: I think that it doesn’t matter who the team is, we should compete and play our best game at all times.

Delaney Chase: I think Youngsville and Maplewood will be our toughest games this season.

TS: As a cheerleader, how is it having a co-ed team?

Brittany Smith: It’s good most times and allows us to do much more.

TS: What are your main focuses for this season?

Brittany Smith: Overall, I think that with a co-ed team, we’ll be able to do a lot of stunts and have a good year.

As a result, this year seems like it will be a good and fun year for girls winter sports. The basketball team understands that they have some work to do, but they are pumped and ready to go out and kill it this season. The cheerleaders, having a co-ed team, seem to be enjoying the season and can’t wait to cheer at all of the home games this winter season. The best way for everyone to have a good season is by getting an insane crowd and helping the cheerleaders do what they do best, cheer! Come on out and help cheer on your very own Eisenhower Knights.