By: Caroline Smyth

     Starting off the winter season, the girls are already giving their all in this year’s games. Whether it is on the sidelines or on the court, the girls’ sports teams are off to a great start. Varsity cheerleading and the Lady Knights Basketball team are both huge parts of the seasonal athletics.   

     The Squire interviewed one girl from each of the teams, asking them all about their sport and how it has been going so far this winter. We interviewed Alexis Davis from the cheerleading team and Bella Marino from the Lady Knights Basketball Team.

     The cheerleading winter season has been full of great moments, as well as some scary moments. Dealing with some falls, learning curves, and injuries, the girls have stayed together and practiced all their skills.

     Davis is a freshman on her varsity cheer team and participates in extreme cheerleading outside of school. When asked what she would say is the best thing about the season, she responded, “The best thing about the season concerning the team would be how we are all flexible with the jobs that need to be done.” It is obvious that the team shows so much understanding with each other, based on how well they work together.

     She was also asked about how the games are going with all the cheers that need to be memorized. Davis replied, “I’d say the games have been going pretty good for the most part on account of the cheers. We have some mess ups sometimes, but overall, it’s been pretty good.” Pretty good indeed! Watching those girls perform just makes you want to cheer while they bring their voices into play.

     The cheerleader said, “Some of the challenges with having such a young team have been with maturity, teamwork, and making sure that we are all putting in the effort needed.” Davis made it clear that even though the team of freshman is young, it does not mean that they are weak, or make them any less of a cheer team. They work hard for their goals, and it is clear that the skills they have will make for a strong finish this season.

     Alongside the cheer team, the basketball season has certainly been active. The girls have been giving their all in many games. With barely enough numbers to hold a team together, and some girls choosing to leave the team, there was a time when each girl played the entire duration of the game, having only time outs as breaks. Recently, some girls have joined, giving a little more of a break to some starting players when needed.

     Bella Marino is the captain of the girls’ basketball team and was asked some questions by The Squire. We asked her how she works to create a bond between her teammates, and she responded, “We all try to talk to everyone and include everyone in everything.” Short and simple, Marino is making it a priority to help the team work together and feel united.

     Players who have come onto the team later into the season may feel overwhelmed, and Marino had just the right advice for the new players, “I know it’s hard and the pressure can be a lot, but you can do it and if you ever need someone to talk to, you’re more than welcome to talk to one of the coaches or whoever on the team you feel comfortable with.”

     Marino also addressed the season so far and how she feels her team will come together during the summer. She replied, “I feel like we didn’t have the best season, but we did the best we could with what we had. I think we will have a pretty good team next year and I think if we continue to work with each other through the summer, we can have a really good year!”

     The girls have some great teams, and they play for the love of the sport. Where there is a will, there is a way, and there is a certain way with these players. It is no surprise that all these girls are so tough, especially during the cold winter, but they make it look like a breeze and continue to do their best.