by Hunter Moore ‘15

The 2014-2015 school year has started differently for the Sherwood varsity poms and cheerleaders as a way to amp school spirit. The two spirit squads traditionally have a little sister-big sister relationship within each individual squad, in which the older girls mentor the younger ones. This year, however, they have decided to connect the two squads by having individual “cousins” on the other squad. Both squads are looking to return to the top of the county after being voted second place, in cheer’s case, and fourth place, in poms’ case.

“The point of this is for the spirit squads to be coming together and promoting SHS spirit,” said senior cheer captain Devin Rogers. “We give our cousins on the pom squad small $5 gifts before the first game and the homecoming game.”

Led by captains and four-year varsity cheerleaders Rogers and senior Austyn Waldron, the cheer squad is looking to improve last year’s second place finish in the county championship. When not in competition, the cheerleaders cheer on the sideline of football games.

Their “cousins” on poms also perform at football games, but at halftime, when they perform their original dances created by the captains and other members of the team.

“Being cousins with the boys and girls of the cheer team allows us to form a new Sherwood family that represents school spirit and camaraderie,” said senior poms officer Katarina Stephanos.

The poms last year did not rank in the county competition, which is unusual for the

traditional county powerhouse. Team members are confident this year will be different. “With the positive attitude we have been displaying so far this season, and with every girl on the team giving it 110 percent each day, we will win back our county title,” said Stephanos.

Although cheer and poms sound somewhat similar, the girls on either team insist that they are very different. The poms have a season that lasts through both fall and winter. During this stretch, they attend and perform at football games, soccer games, basketball games and a few other activities.

Cheer, on the other hand, is broken up into two separate seasons, having a varsity team in the fall and a varsity team in the winter, with some new members. They too attend football, soccer, basketball and other sports teams’ games.

“Poms routines consist of strictly dancing and different types of dance, whereas cheer is a bunch of different things,” said Waldron. “Our [cheer] routine is made up of stunts, dancing motions, tumbling and most of all cheers.”