Cheerleaders

Future Sailors cheerleaders showed their stuff at Newport Harbor High School's football game at Davidson Field against San Clemente High. Newport Harbor's junior cheer camp participants gave a performance at halftime Friday night, demonstrating everything they learned during the week-long camp over the summer. The camp brought together about 130 pre-K to eighth-grade girls who wanted to learn the basics of cheer, song and baton twirling from the Newport Harbor High cheerleaders. The camp, which was the squad's biggest fundraiser of the year, helped the girls build confidence and a sense of rhythm while instilling the importance of exercising and being healthy, advisor Kristin Higman has said.

Estancia High School cheerleaders on Thursday attended a political fundraiser for a Costa Mesa City Council candidate - the second time this a month. But this time they didn't sport their uniforms. The group - seven of the squad's 30 or so cheerleaders - acted as greeters at Councilman Steve Mensinger's campaign kick-off at South Coast Collection, but did not don their Estancia gear, cheer Coach Yumi Wantanabe-Patterson said. On June 14, seven uniformed Estancia cheerleaders greeted guests to Planning Commissioner Colin McCarthy's campaign launch for City Council at The Triangle.

Admirable, commendable and praiseworthy are a few words I use to describe the Costa Mesa High School cheerleaders and their coach. Along with keeping up good grades and their personal lives, these young ladies always find time for community involvement. Coach Kori Johnson is the driving force behind this noteworthy squad. I asked her to explain the type of standards the cheerleaders are held to: "All the girls are held to high standards and are expected to maintain and achieve high academics (3.0 or higher)

Deirdre Newman NEWPORT BEACH -- The end to an unusual controversy over pompoms at Newport Harbor High School came Tuesday when Principal Michael Vossen announced the 17 girls who didn't make the original teams will have to try out again. The late afternoon announcement upheld an independent committee's recommendation to let the original judging decision stand and hold an extra tryout to fill two more spots on both the varsity and junior varsity teams.

NEWPORT BEACH - Registration for the upcoming Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Football season will take place May 5 & 12 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lincoln Elementary's multipurpose room. Player registration is $220, which includes all equipment, a game jersey, a trophy, insurance and a physical exam. Cheerleader registration is $110 per player, which includes a trophy, insurance and a physical exam. New players/cheerleaders are asked to bring a proof of residence and an original or certified copy of a birth certificate.

Costa Mesa High School cheerleaders have been selected along with four other Orange County high schools to appear in a fashion show at Gods and Heroes Studios in Costa Mesa at 7 p.m. Feb. 17. The event will be hosted by two stars of MTV’s “Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County,” Clay and Allie. Corona Del Mar, Edison, University and Laguna Hills high schools are also represented. Tickets cost $20 at the door, but the Costa Mesa High School cheer program will pre-sell tickets to the event for $15 with $5 from each pre-sale going to the team.

signups Newport-Mesa football players and cheerleaders can sign up for the upcoming Jr. All-American season on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the multipurpose room at Lincoln Elementary School, 3101 Pacific View Dr. in Corona del Mar. A second signup session is planned for the same site and time on May 18. Football players' registration fee is $220. It is $110 for cheerleaders. After May 18, registration increases to $250 for football and $130 for cheerleading.

Cheerleaders from Estancia High School will flaunt some of the hottest styles today and Sunday during a fashion show at Gods & Heroes salon and boutique in Costa Mesa. The magazine Flaunt OC incorporates four Orange County high school cheerleading squads, including Estancia, as models. The show features a new line designed by Linkin Park?s front man, Chester Bennington. The event raises money for the schools, as well as for THINK Together, a charity program that helps needy children in Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Approximately 70 junior cheer cheerleaders performed at Saturday’s varsity football game against Dana Hills on Saturday.   The cheerleaders rallied onto the field at halftime and performed beautifully in front of a large home audience.  The performance this year included a dance routine, with stunts and tumbling incorporated into the performance.  The young girls’ ages ranged from 5 to 13. Newport Harbor’s cheerleaders conducted a junior cheer camp clinic in August for four days.

Costa Mesa High senior Alyssa Dasca admitted being nervous just before trying out to be a cheerleader for UC San Diego this past weekend. The three-day tryout didn't seem so intimidating to Dasca, the Mustangs' cheer captain. The stress really came from not knowing the San Diego area too well. But once she found the spot, she was fine. "It was different than something I was used to," Dasca said. "But I just did my best. " Dasca made the team to be a Tritons cheerleader. She went to UC San Diego Sunday to be fitted for her cheerleading gear.

The Costa Mesa High cheerleaders never stole any moves or routines from a squad in Compton. In that sense, their captain, Alyssa Dasca, would never be subject to the challenge: "Bring it. " However, this past weekend it was as if Dasca and the Costa Mesa cheerleaders said, "Oh, I'll bring it. Don't worry. " Excuse my point of reference. It's from the 2000 movie, "Bring It On," a cult classic and a guilty pleasure of mine. I don't feel too guilty because, "Bring It On," can be classified as a sports film.

The Costa Mesa High cheerleaders won the Southern California Regional title in their division at the Universal Cheerleaders Assn. competition that took place this past weekend. The Costa Mesa girls earned first place in the large varsity non-tumbling division, bringing home the trophy and championship banner. They also received a bid to the National High School Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Fla. The team also won in the Time Out dance division. This season, Costa Mesa has won three division titles (Sharp, Golden State Spirit Assn.

Everyone looks forward to the long weekend, but a long weekend took on a different meaning to the Costa Mesa High cheerleaders. The team competed in two different competitions this past weekend. Competition season is when cheer becomes a sport. The cheerleaders must be flawless to win against other teams. The Mustangs did just that. On Saturday the Mustangs traveled to Los Angeles and competed against some of the best in the area. Winning Grand Master champions, the team took home almost every award.

Future Sailors cheerleaders showed their stuff at Newport Harbor High School's football game at Davidson Field against San Clemente High. Newport Harbor's junior cheer camp participants gave a performance at halftime Friday night, demonstrating everything they learned during the week-long camp over the summer. The camp brought together about 130 pre-K to eighth-grade girls who wanted to learn the basics of cheer, song and baton twirling from the Newport Harbor High cheerleaders. The camp, which was the squad's biggest fundraiser of the year, helped the girls build confidence and a sense of rhythm while instilling the importance of exercising and being healthy, advisor Kristin Higman has said.

This past week, 40 Costa Mesa High cheerleaders and their two coaches traveled to Palm Springs to attend a different type of summer camp than usual. The Mustangs chose to go "elite" and challenge themselves to a more difficult and competitive summer camp. An "elite" camp features cheer squads from some of the best programs around the surrounding states. Mesa came and represented well. During the grueling, fast paced four days the team showed its spirit, skills and dedication.

Estancia High School cheerleaders on Thursday attended a political fundraiser for a Costa Mesa City Council candidate - the second time this a month. But this time they didn't sport their uniforms. The group - seven of the squad's 30 or so cheerleaders - acted as greeters at Councilman Steve Mensinger's campaign kick-off at South Coast Collection, but did not don their Estancia gear, cheer Coach Yumi Wantanabe-Patterson said. On June 14, seven uniformed Estancia cheerleaders greeted guests to Planning Commissioner Colin McCarthy's campaign launch for City Council at The Triangle.

Is cheer a sport? That is a widely debated question throughout the United States. While critics may argue that the current format of cheerleading is more of an activity than a sport, there is a new sport on the horizon and cheer plays a main role in it. To help with the current NCAA Title IX, USA Cheer has developed a new sport to fit the Title IX requirements and it is called STUNT. Across the nation, colleges and universities have begun competing in games in this new format.

IRVINE - A green tent and a table lined with dozens of cupcakes was set up alongside the skinny sapling planted in memory of 14-year-old cheerleader Ashton Sweet, who died after a car crash on Memorial Day weekend. Friday would have been Sweet's 15th birthday, and friends and family gathered at Irvine Boulevard and Culver Drive to honor the memory of the Northwood High School freshman who prosecutors assert was killed by a suspected drunk driver. "We feel so connected to this spot.

NEWPORT BEACH - A 14-year-old cheerleader clung to life with the faintest pulse after a man accused of drunk driving plowed into the car she was riding in over Memorial Day weekend, a witness testified Thursday in the Harbor Justice Center. A passerby checked on an unconscious Ashton Sweet after the crash but felt no pulse, said Irvine police Officer Tim McDonald. Sweet's body was limp in the woman's arms. McDonald assisted and laid Sweet onto the curb. He said he felt a faint pulse and shallow breathing before paramedics arrived and attended to her. Days later, Sweet died in a hospital after her family chose to take her off life support and donate her organs.