Like most winter sports, competitive cheer is being affected by  Covid-19. This year, teams across Michigan, including Grand Ledge High School, are being forced to push back their season. With the new orders being placed on winter sports, cheer is unable to do things like stunting or spotted tumbling. They can, on the other hand, practice two of their three rounds, or routines, because they are contactless. The GLHS cheer team is working hard on perfecting their rounds and are working to improve the score sheets. 

When the first pause in winter sports happened, the GLHS cheer coaches decided to hold virtual practices on zoom. This way the girls could still be engaged in cheer and were able to learn the rounds. This put them ahead of other teams in the area. The coaches had them doing daily workouts and conditioning to maintain their strength. This made coming back into the gym a lot easier. 

Varsity coach, Samantha Ybarra, has tried her best to keep the girls motivated and in shape. Along with the other coaches, Coach Ybarra has worked hard to make this uncertain season memorable. She has and will continue, to push the cheerleaders to their full potential. “It was hard for the team to learn virtually all day, then practice virtually. Coaches also struggled to teach via video.” (Samantha Ybarra). “The team has done a great job sticking together through these tough times. It is not easy on any of the girls to stay motivated but I think being back in person is helping” (Samantha Ybarra). Now, the cheerleaders are back into the gym and it couldn’t be going better. Since they are in the gym, they have to follow restrictions like frequent use of hand sanitizer, staying 6 feet apart at all times, temperature taking, and keeping their masks on at all times. The MHSAA and MDHHS put these restrictions in place to keep all of the cheerleaders and coaches safe. These restrictions are not hard for the cheerleaders to follow. The girls have been following the guidelines very well, and have been putting forth their best effort to keep the team safe. 

Contact sports are now believed to start again on February 21, 2021. There has been a protest and several thousand letters written to the governor to move this date up. Competitive Cheer is one of those sports that only comes in contact with their own teammates, therefore, they would only be in physical contact with the people that they have been working with back home at daily practices. Coach Ybarra is very hopeful that the start date will be moved to earlier in February.  The cheerleaders can not compete until February 25, 2021, if these dates do not get moved. Their season has already been shortened, and could possibly become even shorter. 

The cheerleaders themselves have made the best out of their season. Coach Ybarra states, “The girls that remain, really want to be here and that makes this season very special. It is a very valuable life skill to be able to persevere, stay positive, and hopeful when you feel like you have no control.” The team’s goals for this year are to gain flexibility, strength, and better their tumbling skills. Although this season has looked a lot different and will continue to look different, the GLHS cheer team is pushing forward and becoming stronger every day.