On February 8, the New Hyde Park varsity cheer team competed at Great Neck North High School against schools such as Garden City and Herricks High School. NHP won first place in the competition and advanced to the county championship on Saturday, February 15, where they showcased their athletic ability at Farmingdale State College.
This was the first time in NHP history that the cheer team was able to compete in counties. In preparation for this event, the cheer team spent around two hours each school day perfecting their routines. They credit their hard work for their overall success this season and were thrilled to be a part of the team.
“This was our first year ever doing traditional, and I knew that it was going to be challenging and hard work but it ended up being so worth it,” senior captain Grace Garvey said. “We have pushed ourselves and we have achieved so much. Getting first place was one of the biggest goals for our team and I was so happy to hear we are going to counties, we are truly making history for our program.”
Besides winning first place overall as a team, six individual awards were also given to the cheerleaders at Great Neck North. The following awards include All County which was awarded to junior captain Belinay Inan and sophomore Paige Dvoroznak, All Class which was awarded to juniors Gianna Lorusso and Taline Vartanian and Coaches Award as well as Scholar Athlete to sophomore Briana Ching.
“When my coach told me that I had won the All County award, I was both ecstatic and shocked. It helped me to see how much my effort I put in the season had truly paid off,” Dvoroznak said.
At counties, the team went against several other schools who have previously achieved a national-level status. They were satisfied with their performance at Farmingdale and believe it showcased their hard work and ability.
“It was an indescribable feeling seeing the excitement on our coach’s face, knowing all our hard work had paid off. I felt so accomplished and just couldn’t stop crying tears of joy,” Inan said.
The team plans on celebrating their season in early March by going to a section eight cheer banquet where they will be able to officially honor their team, coaches and awards. Ultimately, the spirit and dedication of the cheerleaders and coach were demonstrated in their performances and highlighted in their achievements. The varsity cheer team hopes to maintain their collective drive to fuel their success for future seasons to come.
