With the shortened season and the restrictions due to covid last year, the St. Edward Cheer team is happy to be back on the field cheering on the boys. With both a Jv and Varsity team this year, the parents get to cheer along with the girls as well. The team really got the crowd excited during their Wizard of Oz themed homecoming routine. They went all out even including props such as lollipops, a bubble, a rainbow, and even costumes for the seniors. The 2021 Varsity cheer team consists of 10 girls, 4 of which are seniors. This year’s senior cheerleaders are Gabby Sarullo, Emily Sarullo, Ashley Mahute, and Izzy Kirkwood. They have all been a part of the varsity cheer team for all four years at St. Eds and some even had cheer experience before high school. This year we interview our 2021-22 seniors and asked a bit about their experience and favorite moments as high school cheerleaders.  

Gabriella, Gabby, Sarullo has been a cheerleader here for all four years of her high school career and the team wouldn’t be the dame without her. When she was a freshman, she wanted me to get more involved and after looking into activities the school had to offer, she decided she wanted to try out to be a St. Ed’s cheerleader. She loves the team dynamic and how everyone supports each other no matter what the circumstance. Before the big game, Gabby loves to listen to 2000’s party music, no matter the song. When asked what advice she had for her underclassmen teammates, Sarullo responded saying, “Always support your team no matter what. They are your family; make every moment with them count.”  

Emily Sarullo has been a cheerleader for 13 years is and is an amazing athlete who will be dearly missed. She loves stunting and always enjoys hitting new stunts and progressing her skills as a cheerleader. Emily is also a huge supporter of teamwork, saying that without putting in the work together it won’t be worth it in the end. After a long night of cheering, Emily’s favorite snack is some cold ice cream. When asked what her favorite memory as a cheerleader was, she wrote back saying, “I will never forget the feeling of getting 3^rd in state, that was my favorite memory of all.”  

Ashley Mahute has been cheering for about 7 years of her life, spending 4 of those years as a St. Eds cheerleader who was an asset to the team. Ashley also used to be a gymnast. While at the gym, Ashley would watch as the cheerleader’s practice and attempt to mimic their skills, and eventually she decided to give cheer a try. In the past 7 years, Ashely has learned many lessons from the sport, but the best lesson learned was that you must manage your time and if you are not on top of everything, it will slowly start falling apart. After a big game, Ashley enjoys relaxing, eating some Chic-Fil-A, and listening to Starships by Nicki Minaj. “Even though it might seem as though it can be hard at times, it pays off in the end. Stick with it,” Ashley said when asked what she wished to say to her underclassmen teammates.  

Isabella, Izzy, Kirkwood like all the other seniors has been a part of the STEDHS cheer program since her freshman year of high school and is an irreplaceable part of the team. As a child, Izzy participated in rec cheer until she was about 9 years old, so when she saw that St. Eds had a successful cheer program, she decided to give it a try. She believes that the team has taught her a lot about both herself and others. “I mostly learned that prioritizing others and sacrificing yourself for them is not always the best idea. Even in a team environment, like cheer, you need to make some decisions that benefit you,” Kirkwood said. Izzy also loves the comradery of the cheer team saying that it makes her feel as though she is a part of something special. Being a competitive person, she is also a big fan of competing and loves the feeling of hitting all their stunts and ending the routine with a bang.