Buzzing with excitement, cheerleader Jocelynn White waits for the gym doors to open. On Saturday, December 14, from 8am to 3pm the cheer team holds a clinic for little kids. The winter clinic at Bowie has been a longstanding tradition, serving as a fundraiser and a way to give back to the community. It offers little kids a special opportunity to learn and share routines.
“The winter cheer clinic is more of a fundraiser, so it’s where we bring in a bunch of kids from the community, and we teach them how to cheer,” assistant cheer coach Davis Tran said. “Overall, it is a good experience because we’re allowing parents to take a break while their kids are being safe and supervised by cheerleaders.”
The cheerleaders teach the kids a variety of basic stunting skills, prep, extensions, and fun chants! They also focus on teamwork and building confidence with fun and supportive attitudes.
“I teach a wide range of tumbling, specifically handstands and forward rolls,” sophomore cheerleader Maddy Gutierrezz said. “I love the clinic because I get to teach younger kids how to cheer and come together as a team.”
Participating in the clinic builds a strong bond among cheerleaders as they work together to inspire the kids to feel comfortable when showcasing their talents. This experience not only enhances their leadership qualities but also gives children a role model.
I think it builds bonding specifically because a lot of the cheerleaders who are on the team now attended the Junior Dog Clinic when they were kids,” Tran said. “So I think it kind of shows how the clinic is more of a tradition, as well as that, it builds team bonding because each cheerleader is randomly paired to collaborate with each other.”
Since the clinic takes place during the winter break cheerleaders create a festive environment by having dress codes and decorations to show their holiday spirit.
Usually participants and cheerleaders wear anything festive like Christmas sweaters or coordinated group colors,” varsity cheerleader Jocelynn White said. “Holiday music is also used for dance routines audio.”
After the fundraiser is completed the cheer program is significantly impacted. The team is able to attend workshops and competitions that enhance their choreography and technique with a community of fans supporting them. Additionally, the funds produced allow for more travel opportunities, further boosting the program as a whole.
After attending the clinic, I feel like we kind of grew stronger bonds and learned how to work together as a team,” sophomore cheerleader Reagen Pfeffer said. “We also were able to enhance our routines with more difficult steps like pyramid building and back handsprings because the clinic allowed us to be in sync.”
