They bring the pep and spirit to all home games! The Emerson Lions Spirit Squad are a talented group of young ladies taking campus by storm, reminding everyone to bring out your inner lion! I talked to captains Vanessa Desiato, Abbey Interrante, and co-captain Gabby Kula about cheer, the squad, and hopes for the future!
Names:
(Captains) Abbey Interrante, Vanessa Desiato.
(Assistant Captain) Gabby Kula.
(Team) Courtney Kaner, Jenna Haskins, Steph Gordon, Anneliese Ryan, Briana Ruiz, Cara Casier, Jordan Kirby.
Majors:
Abbey: Writing, Literature, and Publishing.
Vanessa: Writing, Literature, and Publishing with a minor in Leadership and Management.
Gabby: Journalism
Hometowns:
A: Milton, Georgia
V: Bedford, MA
G: Manhattan Beach, CA
Favorite Cheer Jump:
A: Right Hurdler
V: Hurdlers!
G: DOUBLE TOE!
Favorite Cheerleading movie:
A: Bring It On
V: Fired Up
G: Fired Up
When did you start cheering?
A: Age 9
V: Junior year of high school! I was a gymnast for most of my life before that, though.
G: When I was 11.
What made you guys want to originally join the Emerson Lions Spirit Squad?
A: I’ve been cheering for a huge part of my life and the Emerson squad seemed friendly and enthusiastic! I was excited to join a group of students so passionate about their school—so it was the very first thing I joined at Emerson!
V: I love Emerson and was excited to meet people who also loved Emerson– and cheerleading.
G: My orientation leader was a cheerleader and she begged me to go out, plus I had missed cheer a lot, so it was perfect.
3 words to describe the Spirit Squad:
A: Passionate, Welcoming, and Skillful.
V: Leadership, Spirit, and Enthusiasm.
G: Spirited, Goofy, and Dedicated.
What’s your favorite part about being on the Spirit Squad? Most challenging?
A: Bonding is very important in cheerleading so every season, I get really close to the squad. Now all of the time we spend together is just even more enjoyable! I love being at every practice, meeting, and game with the other girls! It’s an extremely supportive group. The most challenging part is gaining recognition on campus. Though we’ve recently gotten more support, sometimes it’s difficult explaining what we do, why we do it, and the athleticism involved. We’re not a part of SGA or Athletics, and there are many rules restricting what we’re allowed to do.
V: My favorite part is being part of a team because we all depend on and support each other. But it can be challenging with people having so many other activities going on. It’s hard to get all of us on the same page.
G: I think my favorite part is just being able to cheer and watch the team grow more and more everyday. It’s amazing what we have accomplished and I’m excited to keep growing with this team. The most challenging part is how much time cheer takes up – with games every week on top of practices, it is very time consuming.
What do you say to those that think cheering isn’t a sport?
A: A sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Though we aren’t currently competing because we aren’t officially a part of the school, this is what we’re preparing for. We work hard, practice often, and what we do requires extreme athleticism.
V: Feel free to meet us in the middle of the court during a timeout and do a jump series with us! It’s tiring work and requires flexibility and strength. When you’re lifting people and tumbling you can get hurt just as easily, if not more so, as when you’re playing a contact sport.
G: Try it. I dare you to do what we do with a smile on your face.
What are your hopes for the squad in the future?
A: To become an official part of Emerson Athletics, start competing, and become a distinguished group on campus.
V: I hope the student body continues to support and get involved with the cheerleading team! It’s been only recently that people actually appreciate what we do and I hope that continues for years to come.
G: I hope to be recognized not only by Athletics, but also by everyone on campus as a force to be reckoned with.