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CHELSEA, Mass. – Around 1:30 p.m. on the afternoon of Sunday, March 26, the Chelsea High School cheerleading team stood in front of applause and cheers in the CHS Gymnasium upon completion of its routine at the CHS Cheerleading Showcase, the first of its kind for the program. The moment was a symbolic milestone for a group of students who dedicate hours upon hours of time and effort to develop as cheerleaders, uplift school spirit and support fellow CHS athletes.
Second-year head coach Ginelie Iraola helped develop and guide the 12 CHS cheerleaders on the 2022-23 team. They started the year cheering at football games, and that continued into basketball season for the Red Devils’ girls and boys team. She observed, however, that the students deserved something more to show off their hard work, dedication and development. The idea for the Showcase was born.
“We’ve already worked so hard, why don’t we show your families what we’ve worked on,” pondered Iraola when reflecting on how the event came to be.
She received 100 percent buy-in from the team. The girls collaborated on the routine, identifying music to perform to, and collectively working with Iraola on the choreography. It happened to be her first time choreographing an entire routine, too. They became involved within the CPS Community as well, performing at the Sokolowski School’s monthly school assembly to exemplify the Fitness & Skills blocks of the Sokolowski’s Pyramid of Success. That performance served as a dry-run for the Showcase.
The concept for the Showcase quickly evolved into an opportunity to not only fundraise, but build it into a community event that brought together various groups in Chelsea. The team sold tickets and concessions to fundraise, and Iraola used her community connections to secure over a dozen vendors to make the Showcase a community destination. And her team's performance served as the destination’s Grand Finale, which was well-worth the price of admission.
“Everyone on the team looked amazing. They were the cleanest they had ever been. They were so happy to show off the routine to their families and friends. I cried. That’s how excited I was because it’s a lot of work,” Iraola said.
"The Showcase was a special day for our cheerleaders. Our cheerleaders have been working hard all year. Their hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed on Sunday,” Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta commented. “I'm excited to see the program growing and would like to thank their coach, Ginelie Iraola, for building the program and having a clear vision for our cheerleading program."
Where does the team go from here? Iraola has her eyes set on competitions, believing her team has the talent to build a competitive routine to go against other high school teams in the area. She would also love to see interest in cheerleading grow, hoping to grow the roster entering next season.
“I had girls come up to me at the showcase and say ‘I want to cheer next year’”.
The atmosphere and buzz at the Showcase certainly proved that Chelsea Cheerleading is headed in the right direction. The sky's the limit for what they can achieve.
