Bishop Amat High School - Tusitala Yearbook (La Puente, CA)

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nior Stephanie Breen shows no difficulty per- rming on a chair. Practice made it possible to tain such balance and fluidity. inior Wendy Ham, co-captain, manages to keep vibrant smile while dancing during a football me. Peforming was the culmination of all the uad's hard work. Senior Michelle Guerra, captain, uses her energy to stir up school spirit during Pep Week. It was sometimes difficult to get everyone in the mood to participate in the cheers. if 5 I I K l W E 5 5 .E 2 H .. iffif Junior Michelle Torrico drums up crowd partici- pation. It was one of the Song Squad's main functions to achieve school spirit, enthusiasm, and support. Angels warn Junior Yvonne Nichols to watch out for a St. Paul student, played by Junior Jason Borens. The Song Squad worked hard to put the humorous skits together. Varsity Song 193

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Striving to bring out school spirit was the job of the Varsity Song Leading Squad. From yelling at a football game to cheering for the basketball team, they ceaselessly attempted to achieve this goal. Of course, this phenomenon occurred only after much hard work and dedicaton. Junior Stephanie Breen explained, Being a part of this squad meant taking on new responsibilities, as well as new challenges. Cheering our teams to victory was a job which require much committment. Dedication was a requirement for all Song Squad members. This meant stay- ing at school for extended amounts of time, going to as many home and away games as possible, and practicing on weekends. It was true that the time in- volved interfered With many other im- portant things such as school work and social activities. Yet, the general atti- tude of the group was one of good spirit, enthusiasm, and a willingness to appor- tion their time. Even summer vacations required dai- ly morning practices which eliminated the opportunity to have a job or just rest from the rigors of school. Despite all of this, the ordinary student did not realize the work and effort put forth by this talented group. Co-captain Wendy Ham confided, Not many people real- ized how hard it was to cheer for every Varsity Song Cbottom to topjt Renee' Nevins, Robin Smith, Stephanie Breen, Michelle Garcia. Michelle Guerra, captain: Michelle Torrico, Yvonne Nichols, Wendy Ham, cc-captain: Kim Kuhas, and June Kowalski. 192 Organizaiicns Varsity Song Leaders eep In Tu ne sport. Since we were a limited squad, it made the task more difficultf' She also added, Often, all this Work took even- ings which made keeping up with school work, song and dance practice, and a social life truly difficult. Inspite of the difficulties, each member enjoyed being a part of this group. There were adjustments to be made early on. Most of the girls were not used to the new pressures. Each Song Squad member was expected to perform their duties while coping with normal stu- dent problems. The new time manage- ment was not the only difficulty. They had to cheer in front of everyone re- gardless of whether they were in a good or bad mood. The job had to be done with a smile. The Song Leading Squad was special not only to the members, but also to the rest of the school. They helped bring about more enthusiasm when it was really needed. The experience also de- veloped a sense of discipline and re- sponsibility among the members. Cap- tain Michelle Guerra summed up the feelings of the squad when she com- mented, If I had an opportunity to do it all again, I would still try out for the squad. Although there was much work involved, it seemed worth it when the students started cheering.

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To fans who watched the cheer- leaders chant at the top of their lungs during games, it may have seemed easy. But what fans didn't realize was that hours of practice were required to per- form cheers so precisely. Junior Janine Ochotorena, member of the squad, ex- claimed, The most frustrating thing about being in cheerleading was that we always had to be on hand. There were often last minute changes of places, days, and games. Practice lasted everyday after school until 4:00 p.m. Long after most students went home to begin their homework, the cheerleaders were perfecting their routines to make each more precise. During the summer, the girls attended Sharp All-American Camp, where they took second place in competition and evaluation. Often times it was difficult to work up enough energy to practice the same cheer over and over again. Time was cut short due to after school practices, cheering at games, and getting home- work completed. Thus, their social ac- tivities had to be minimized in order for them to be truly dedicated. However, as leaders on campus, Varsity Cheer- leaders displayed school spirit by mak- ing posters and banners, organizing ral- lies, and selling ribbons. Since the squad spent so much time 1 Varsity Cheer Qbottom to topy Janine Ochotorena, Nicole Sullivan, captaing Claire McCallion, Wendy Phillips, Patricia Guzman. captaing Adriana Villalo- bos, Robyn Romyn, Jason Borens, Caprice Bourret, Cathy Lemelle, and Annette Sanchez. 194 Organizations ' J, -fe, R I Varsliy Cheerleaders Promote A hole Lotta Hoopla together practicing and performing, a natural comradeship developed be- tween them. The girls along with junior Jason Borens not only shared the ex- citement of cheering at games, but also gave each other support during stressful times before competition. Senior Nicole Sullivan, expressed the memories of friendship for the squad, We have no problems because everyone gets along really well. The nights before competi- tion we stay at someone's house and talk and laugh all night. I love cheering at games, especially when we win! For a squad to perform so well and stick together, they had to have great leaders. Mrs. Susan Marquez, modera- tor, who was also a cheerleader during her high school days at Bishop Amat, was a dedicated friend as well as consul- tant. She always had suggestions and ideas which benefitted the squad. Sen- iors Patti Guzman and Nicole Sullivan, who were both the captains, combined their talents to choreograph routines that best complemented the squads athletic ability. Pep rallies gave Varsity Cheerleaders the opportunity to per- form in front of the entire student body and at the same time, gave students a chance to express their school spirit through their participation in the cheers.