The Black and White

by Aubrey Butler

The Pilgrim High School Cheerleading team recently hosted their first youth clinic at Pilgrim High School, which welcomed young kids from ages 5-13 from the Warwick community. There they learned the fundamentals of cheer, dance, and most importantly teamwork. This event allowed elementary and middle school athletes to work with Pilgrim’s cheerleaders, while experiencing the foundation and spirit that together define the program from inside and out. 

Throughout the day, participants learned how to excel in motions, tumbling, as well as a specific dance and cheer. The clinic ended with going over proper safety stunt technique and putting it into action. The participants are also being allowed to showcase their new skills in front of a crowd at Pilgrim´s annual pinkout football game on October 10th, performed with the varsity cheerleaders in support of breast cancer awareness.

Coach Taylor Levin reflected on the success of the day saying, ¨ The Pilgrim Cheerleading Youth Clinic was a great day for everyone involved. Most of the attendees are a part of Warwick’s youth cheerleading league, Warwick PAL so they got a small feel of what it’s like to be a Pilgrim cheerleader for a day! From cheers and dances to learning about safety and stunting, the future is bright in Warwick! The coaches are proud of our team for having a positive impact on the Warwick community and being great role models for our youth”

This clinic might have been the first, but definitely not the last for the program. It was not only a fun day of teaching and learning, but an opportunity to unite the team and connect with the community, inspiring what could be the next generation of cheerleaders for Pilgrim.¨Cheering for our program is so much more than just football games or competing,¨ said senior captain Taylor Tatarian, ¨Our presence in our community is very important to us, so we try to give back in any way we can.¨  Events like the youth clinic not only give younger athletes a chance to experience their potential future, but they also help strengthen the bond between Pilgrim’s Cheer program and the Warwick community. With lots of fun, spirit, and enthusiasm, the next generation of Pilgrim cheerleaders is looking bright.