Pop Warner Cheerleaders Tops in State

For the first time, the Watchung Hills Pop Warner competitive cheer squads both placed first in their categories at the State competition, Oct. 30th.

Both the Jr. Pee Wee and Midget squads secured spots at the Eastern Region competition, which will be held on Nov. 12th and 13th at SunBank Arena in Trenton. The top two from each category at this competition will advance to the National Championships in Disney World in December.

This year’s journey began on Oct. 15th with the Mountain Valley Conference competition at Bridgewater Middle School where the Jr. Pee Wee and Midget squads
each took first place in their divisions and advanced to the Central Jersey Qualifier in Trenton. The Central Jersey Qualifier showcases Pop Warner cheer squads
from Central Jersey, Jersey Shore and Mountain Valley Conferences. The Jr. Pee Wee cheerleaders placed first in the Medium Novice division at the Qualifier and the Midget cheerleaders also took first place in the Medium Intermediate division.

The Midget squad had the highest score for the day between the Novice and Intermediate categories.

The Watchung Hills Pop Warner cheerleaders and their coaches have worked diligently since the first week of August, changing and perfecting their routines in order to contend with the talent from across the region. Based on their scores from the Qualifier, the Jr. Pee Wee squad is ranked sixth in the Eastern Region and the Midget squad is ranked number one. This is quite an accomplishment given the level of talent they face.

They will soon have a shot at competing at the national level based on the results of the Eastern Region Championships. At competition events, each squad performs a 2½-minute routine with music combining cheer, stunting and dance elements. They are judged on a variety of criteria including choreography, jumps, stunts, timing and precision.

The Eastern Region consists of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. An astounding three quarters of Pop Warner National Champions come from the Eastern Region. The National Championships are a weeklong celebration with teams competing from around the country and are held each December at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. It is a long and difficult road to the championships, but those who have had the good fortune to compete there consider it the thrill of a lifetime. Anyone wishing to see a dynamic display of spirit, teamwork and athleticism should come and support these girls in Trenton in November.

Information on the event can be found at www.whpw.org.

Submitted by Todd Kelly