The cheer team led by Amanda Nguyen and Karen Lara have a lot to work on before they can attempt to get back to Regionals again this year.

Our Varsity cheerleading team is coached by Head Coach Winkler, and her two assistants Coach Jess and Coach Shannon. Ms. Winkler has been coaching for the Atoms for the last 5 years.

I talked to Senior Madie Walsh about her experience with cheerleading and the cheerleading team. Madie is a base for the Atoms and has done cheer at AHS for three years. This is what she had to say about her experience.

“My experience with the coaches and other cheerleaders has been great! Last year we had a really close bond and made it to Regionals for the first time and I’m hoping the same for this year” Walsh said.

The Varsity cheer team are always a very close group, they are like family. The Atoms had their greatest season ever last fall by making it to the regional competition for the first time in school history.

The Atoms can’t dwell on their success from last year though, there is a new goal at hand; to get back to the regional competition. I caught up with Senior Captain Amanda Nguyen and asked her what she thinks it’s going to take for the team to make it back to Regionals.  “It’s going to take a lot of hard work and determination for the team to go back to Regionals” Nguyen said.

Coach Winkler also had something to say about what it will take for the team to make it back to Regionals.  “Our team needs to put out a solid routine. Solid stunts, clean motions, loud voices and most importantly crowd involvement,” Winkler said.

I later talked to Amanda Nguyen about what it means to be a captain. Amanda shares the captain position with her best friend, and  fellow senior Karen Lara. “”As one of the captains, I have a few extra duties. We give extra encouragement to our teammates, call the cheers during games, and pass down information from our coaches,” Nguyen said.

We all wish the for Varsity Cheer team to repeat their success from last season. Go Atoms!