On Saturday, February 14th, the South Windsor varsity cheer squad earned an impressive third place finish at their Central Connecticut Conference competition.
For these cheerleaders, this result meant far more than a medal – it represented the dedication, effort, and steady progress that the team was working toward all season.
The third place marked undeniable improvement for the team. Earlier in the season, the squad placed 5th at one of their first competitions, but months of practice and dedication helped them climb the rankings and improve with each performance.
Senior Captain Emma Boldi shared how coming this far as a team was a great and meaningful accomplishment.
“Earning 3rd place was a great personal feeling because we have never had that in my time with the team…” Boldi told The Prowl. “It felt good to have come so far. Hearing them announce us was a very exciting moment and made all the long practices worth it.”
This accomplishment didn’t come easy for the team, as the behind the scenes can be stressful. The weeks leading up to the competition were filled with long practices, setbacks and pressures that pushed this team. These setbacks aren’t easy to navigate, but Boldi seemed to know what to do.
“During setbacks, I remind them to give their 100 percent because it’s easier to get through a routine with good technique, rather than giving up,” she said.
Right before stepping onto the mat, the team shared a quiet moment together to calm their nerves. They gathered in a circle, closed their eyes, and went through the routine in their heads one last time, visualizing each stunt, jump, and tumble before giving it their all.
For younger athletes, the pressure was intense, but memorable. Freshman Amaya Darling, described the moment as “extremely nerve-racking.”
“This was the competition that mattered most to us, so there was a lot of pressure,” Darling said. “When I walked off the mat, I was really concerned about our score. But, at awards, when I found out we placed, I was ecstatic because it honestly wasn’t something I was expecting.
She also credited the team’s upperclassmen for helping prepare the underclassmen for this such a high stakes performance.
“The seniors and upperclassmen did a great job giving us pep talks before every full out,” Darling said. “It made all of us push harder, knowing how much this competition meant to them.”
With zero safety deductions and a third place finish, the South Windsor High School squad showed that their long practices and dedication paid off. For both veterans and newcomers, the experience shows that teamwork and confidence can turn months of practice into a memorable moment on the mat. Now, with the state championship on March 7 only weeks away, the team is back in the gym preparing to clean up their routine and carry their energy onto an even bigger stage.
