The Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School Cheerleading Team will be competing at the National Cheerleading Competition at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Arena in Orlando, Florida on February 11-12, 2011.  The National Cheerleading Competition is under the auspices of the National High School Cheerleading Association.  The MVMMS Cheerleaders competing at the Nationals are: Haley A., 8B; Katie A., 7C; Meaghan D., 8B; Kira D., 8B; Emily D., 8A; Maria D., 7A; Brooke F., 8C; Colleen H., 8C; Samantha I., 8A; Kali M., 7C; Maddison M., 7B; Kylie P., 8C; Adrianna P., 8C; Aislynn R., 8A; Isabella R., 7B; Lauren R., 8A; Jenna T., 7A; Alex V., 8A; and Madeleine Z., 8B.  This is the first time a MVMMS Cheerleading Team has made it to the National Competition, and they one of thirteen cheerleading squads representing the six states in New England.  The MVMMS Cheerleading Team qualified in their division at a prior competition; this led to their invitation to compete in the Nationals.  This is great honor since it is only the second year MVMMS has fielded a Cheerleading Team.

There were three levels of the competition.  Bronze level routines were comprised primarily of stunts and pyramids performed at shoulder height or below and beginning level tumbling.  Silver level routines were comprised primarily of stunts and pyramids performed at shoulder height or extended on two legs and beginning to intermediate level tumbling.  Single leg extended stunts were permitted but were confined to pyramid structures and there should be hand-support during the majority of standing and running tumbling skills.  Gold level routines were comprised primarily of stunts and pyramids performed at extended levels and intermediate to advance tumbling skills.  There were thirty teams in the middle school/junior high school division.  Each team had the opportunity to warm up their stunts, pyramids and tumbling prior to the competition and have them checked out by a safety judge.  This was done during a four minute time frame on a matted section of floor.  For more information, contact Coach Delgenio at sharon.delgenio@us.ibm.com or Coach Madigan at jmadigan2007@yahoo.com or Coach Burkhard at gretchen.burkhard@gmail.com.  Good luck to the MVMMS Cheerleaders at the Nationals!

        Posted by Principal Brow - 01/24/2012