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14-The Canadian Champion, Fniday, November 16, 2001 ,/Cheer1eading evolving and expanding locally By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Cheerleaders may stili act as morale boosters for football and basketball teams - but these days, they're hardly restricted to the sidelines. In recent years. cheerleading squads across the country - pick- ing up on the momentumn gencrased by their soutb-of-the-border counterparts - have done as much actual compctmng as haif-timte entertaù"ig. And nowhere is that more evident than Milton District High School. Led by Iongtimne coach Andy Cecchini, MD's program has sindergone as much evolution as the sport itself - and now ranks among the top teams in Ontario. A silver medal at lait spring's provincials, the second in just four years, is testament to that. The Mustangs' success hasn't corne without a great deal of bard work though, stressed retummng staff advisor Wendy Berisuit. Local cheerleaders, she said, put forth a level of commitinent that's on par with most - if flot ahl - other seirns. "It's a 12-month a year activity. The girls practice two or three trnes a week," explained Ms Beriault. That's certainly contributed to thse team's increased respectabil- ity throughout the sehool. Another factor is the level of athleticîsm required to truly thrive iin cheerleading - which bas skyrocketed over the pait decade. -We use to think of cheerleaders as jut girls standing on the sidelines shaking pom-poms, but most of them n0W are at the elite-gymnnait level," Ms Beriault said. "It's so much more than pyramnids. It's tssmbling, toises and back flips. "lTbey (cheerleaders) reaily push the envelope these days. lI fart, school boards have now put cheerleading on the samne level as football ti terms of athleticism and nisk of injssry." That may surprise some, given that cheerleaders aren't exactly prone to separated shoulders or broken anides like those sustined regularly on thc gridiron. Fils photo by GRAHAM PAINE Milton District High Schooi cheerlesders coiebrate iast sesson's silver-medai finish St the provinciais. ln recent years cheeriseding's ievai of commitment, sthi.ticism and recognition across Ontario and abosrd has risen dramaticsily. But Uiat's not to say cheerleading is completely safe, cither. Sald Ms Beriault, "We've had broken noses aid other injuries. It happens." Now thit MD's cheerleaders have climbed thc provincial ladder - or at leait reached ita second-lait rung - Uiey'll have Uic opportunity to test their metle on Uic national front. This spriaig will mark Uic start of a Canadiai bigh scbool cheerlcading chais- pionship, and if Uic local ladies cam match lait scaion's provincial performance, Uiey'll surely be part of the inaugural showcase. "It's really excitiaig that cheerleading is being rccognized as Uic national level like shis," said Ms Bcriault. "It's definitely our goal to tsy aid get Uiere." 'Me Mustangs may not be seniously challenged by aiy local counterpart hius year, but Uiey don't hold a monopoly on Milton cheerleadiaig cither. At leait nos since Tuesday, which marked the official launch of a squad at E.C. Drury. While still in its infancy, Uic prograni docs have a few members with previous cheerlcading experience like Alysha Kobow - wbo attended a triinag course in Rochester, New York Ui pait summuer. Fwithcrmore, local dance instructor aid ex-Buffalo Bills cheerleader Ronda Copclaid bai been enlist- cd to aisist Uic sein alongside coach Paige Williamson. Wi just eight members out right n0W, Drury won't be goiaig to competitions just ycs. Ncvertbeless, Ms Williamnson is pleised with thc program's upstart aid hopes to build its raiks aid skill- level over Uic next few years. "We're very enthusiaitic about Uic progrm starting," said Uic former high school cheerleader. You 'veforced me to think about Christmas shopping t'm mad at some people in Milton. Alreidy Uiey've put up Christmas lights, which bai forccd me to start Uinking about Christmas shopping. I love everyshing about Christmnas, cxcept Uic shopping. If it were up to me, I'd get everybody togeUier cxcept for Uic kids aid agree Uiat t won't buy thein aiything aid Uiey won't buy me aiything. The only probleri with thit is Uiat 1 love get- ting presents. i meai I really love it. I'm one of Uiosc few people who will admit it is better to reccive Uiai to give. So shoot me. 1 bet I'd be in the majority if we were aIl honcst. t sec my naine on a faicy wrappcd present aid I get aIl tingly. I cai't wait to open it aid sec what it is. Whitever it is, 1 like it, It doesn't master how much it costs. Socks? Couldn't be happier. A tic?. Woohooooo. ln fart, my moot memorable presents are ones ta cost nothusg. I wouldn't mmnd Uic giving part if t could give decent presents. I'm lousy at it. Evcîy ycar since 1 cai remember t bave planned to find unique, cxciting gifts. Every ycar I've failed. When it gets down to cruaich tinte o t'm grabbing aiything hall decent o just to get it over with, aid t'm, on Uic ging people to tell me what the~ Christms. Somne people arc really good at this aid even cnjoy Uie proccos. As far ai l'm conccmed these are gond people who cire about others. I wait to be just like Uiemn. n th e Thi year, after seeimg Uiosc damedChita loose ple hours t ilbeforc ahockey gamne, about B1fo0 mlevn hrom t og ape i Bpi d oe par. me rugtape n if Uic shelf 1 prefer buying in Milton ai much as possible, phone beg- so 1 was going to go Uirough thus other maIl aid ywait for write down ail Uic thingi 1 wai going to buy. se MY NEW on page 19 Iuueh and ]Dinner -MIL~TON,*