The weather may have changed but enthusiasm stays the same for members of the winter cheer team at Englewood High School. 

Senior Kaylee McCaskey has been part of the team for years and loves the change in the team during the winter, “We’re able to work on a lot more stunting because we’re not working on the pep rallies and homecoming and stuff with football cheer. So we are trying to get our stunting skills stronger.” 

This year, the team is larger than it has been for several years and because there are many underclassmen, the team is stronger for the future, “I think the more girls on the team makes the Englewood cheer team better because there are more bodies and we’re able to teach these new girls the skills and starting from the ground up. It’s easier to teach someone how to stunt the way that you want them to win,” McCaskey said.  

This is her last year cheering but she knows the team is in good hands, “Yeah, I would say I’m happy that the team is growing and I just hope we get more and more girls that are really dedicated to the team and finish out the year completely.  I think as long as we keep having girls showing up and hopefully boys, the team will become solid in the next few years.”  

One of those younger athletes is 9th grader, La Adrianna Davis Townsell. She has learned a lot from watching McCaskey and the other senior, Stephanie Montoya, “I think it helps us know where we stand which is very helpful. They teach us things. It’s just very helpful for everybody.”

Townsell couldn’t ask for a better role model, “She is such a great leader. She helps us and she shows us what we’re supposed to be doing. She’s the sweetest person. She makes us stand our ground. She’s just a great leader to our whole team.”