NPHS stunt cheer flies through the season
Through a combination of dedication, teamwork, athleticism and precision, the NPHS stunt cheer team is able to improve as a team and grow together. Starting off their regular season strong, the NPHS stunt team defeated Agoura High School 17-3 on March 12 during their first league match.
Kate McGowan, junior and captain, enters her second season of stunt cheer as a back spot. McGowan shares that in competitions, each team performs the same routine, making it crucial to avoid deductions from the judges in order to win. This season, McGowan hopes to improve in twisting and inversion skills, which are usually worked on at practices each weekday. “My favorite part about stunting is being able to physically push yourself into getting new skills and the rush that comes with it,” McGowan said.
Stepping into the role of head stunt coach, Silvia Ortega joins the NPHS stunt team for her first year. Ortega focuses on building skill, trust and teamwork within the team. “My goal is making sure we get points, not necessarily winning, but just getting points on the board, and then making sure we get to at least first round CIF,” Ortega said. While focusing on implementing important skills, Ortega emphasizes the importance of teamwork in arriving at success. “If we don’t have teamwork, we can’t do anything,” Ortega said.
Entering her second year of stunt, Samantha Jacobs, sophomore, works to play a crucial role in keeping the team’s structure during routines. Jacobs is both a main and side base, meaning she ensures the flyers have assistance and stability when lifted off the ground. She believes that being on stunt requires athletes to have trust in one another, while also having good communication. “You have to learn teamwork, and if you don’t work together with people, then your stunt won’t go well. So just have a positive attitude and be really dedicated, because a team is not individual,” Jacobs said.
McGowan said that her favorite game was on March 26, when Newbury Park lost to Thousand Oaks by one point. Although the team may have fallen short, the game helped the team bond as they supported each other and also served as motivation for the team to improve more this season. “Falling short 1 point also encouraged our team to work harder and come back stronger. This upcoming game against T.O., we are confident that we can win,” McGowan said.
Through team bonding dinners, the team has been able to build trust in one another, strengthening their team working abilities for routines. Ortega works to improve her coaching abilities and the teams’ overall performance through reviewing films and attending coaching conferences. “Watching their confidence get better, and how far they’ve come from, like when we first started to where we are now, it’s been a big improvement,” Ortega said.
While the team faces some losses, their spirit inspires stunters to persevere. “Even though skills may be hard and seem visibly impossible, they are doable and it’s all about your mindset,” McGowan said.
