Wantagh Varsity Cheerleading started the new year out with a bang and concluded with the varsity girls once again being sent to Orlando, Florida for Nationals. The team is led by their five senior captains Abigail Reif, Giuliana Giacometti, Sari Heller, Gina Canestro and Amanda Coppola. The girls are coached by head coach Katie Savage, and assistant coaches Nicole Jeacoma and Grace Obregon.
Five year Wantagh Varsity cheerleader and senior captain Gina Canestro speaks about her team with passion. She says “There aren’t enough words in the world to describe how much love I have for this team. Wantagh Varsity Cheer is more than just a program, it’s a family. Once you join the team it’s like entering a sisterhood. Everyone has your back no matter what. We win as a team, we lose as a team. I think that’s the biggest thing everyone had to take in this year. We are a team. We work together. Understanding this made it easier this season to understand that if one person isn’t doing good, everyone as a team needs to help and get that person where they need to be. This team understood the true meaning of being a teammate and leader no matter if it was your first year or last year on the team.”
Senior captain Sari Heller wants to express how cheer makes her feel and why she does all this hard work year after year. She says “My favorite thing about cheerleading is the inseparable bonds that me and my teammates have with each other and the welcoming atmosphere that this team gives. Every year, new girls join and old girls leave and we always end up becoming closer and closer as the days move on, with this bond and trust I know me and the other seniors are leaving this team in good hands and are always going to be proud of this team in the years to come”
Captain Abigail Reif shares her thoughts on how this year’s season went for her and her teammates, she said “Even thought this season didn’t go as planned I wouldn’t have wanted to start by the side of any other group of girls and i’m so proud of every single one of them for working so hard.”
The girls season unfortunately didn’t go as planned being that they only made it through the preliminary round at nationals, but as captain Gina Canestro says, “Don’t wish for it, work for it”. We are all unbelievably proud of this team for working and doing as well as they did this season and every season to come! We can’t wait to see the girls take on the mats again next year!