INSIDE OUR SCHOOLS
Marshall Fundamental Cheer Team (Photo – Michelle Frencher)
The Marshall Fundamental Cheer Team will compete at the United Spirit Association (USA) Spirit Nationals.
By Felita Kealing
The Cheer Team earned a Third Place Win at the USA Regional Cheer Competition in Agoura Hills on Saturday, January 18, 2020. The Cheer Team performance scored greater than 80% of the total point value, qualifying it to advance to the USA Spirit Nationals at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Avenue, Anaheim, on Valentine’s weekend, February 14-16, 2020. The USA Spirit Nationals includes over 7,000 athletes in various divisions and categories; the Marshall Fundamental Cheer Team will compete in the Novice Cheer Non-Tumbling Division.
The Agoura Hills competition was the first time in more than 20 years that Marshall Fundamental has participated in a cheer competition. The 16 member Cheer Team wore red, blue, and white uniforms, french roll hairstyles, matching hair ribbons, and glowing smiles as they took the floor. The Cheer Team’s routine consisted of a combination of a cheer chant, a musical segment and audience participation using signs and spell-outs.
Third Place Win at the USA Regional Cheer Competition (Photo – Martin Ortega)
Marshall Fundamental Cheer Team
The Marshall Fundamental Cheer Team is led by Cheer Captains Alexas Brown, Taliah Gaylor, and Sierra Rodriquez. Instructional Cheer Coach is Michelle Frencher, a Marshall Fundamental parent. Cheer Captain Alexis Brown, a Marshall Fundamental junior, stated:
I feel honored to be one of Marshall Fundamental’s cheerleading captains. Being a cheer captain has given me leadership skills allowing me the opportunity to guide my teammates through ups and downs. I am proud of the work we have done independently and as a team; we have accomplished so much in such a short span of time.
Marshall Fundamental Cheer Team competing (Photo – Natalie Tomoyasu)
Building a cheer team
Two seasons ago Marshall Fundamental received a $70,000 anonymous gift for athletic uniforms, including uniforms for the Cheer Team. Assistant Principal and Cheer Administrative Advisor, Lanisha Kelly, made a commitment that the investment in the Cheer Team would motivate building a cheer program supporting Marshall Fundamental sports teams, performing at school events and pep rallies and getting involved in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sanctioned cheer competitions. The Cheer Team’s development has included consistent cheer practices and performances and a summer cheer camp with quality instruction and skill improvement. The road to success has been marked by consistency of cheer practices and performances.
Cheer Coach Frencher said that her “greatest joy has been to watch this amazing group of young ladies work together through differences and adversities and achieve a shared goal. She added by saying:
They have inspired me to be a better leader and have taught me that strength is found in the desire to keep going.
The Marshall Fundamental Cheer Team has worked hard and has proven that hard work pays off. It is a fine example of the Marshall Eagle Spirit!
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