Cheers!

Pop Warner cheerleaders give it their all for a chance at national glory

BY

DENNIS FUJIMOTO

TGI Staff Photographer

WAIMEA — Tears of disbelief and

joy streaked the cherub cheeks of Kekaha Seahawks cheerleaders.

With

emotion, they accepted the trophy as the winners of the PeeWee division in the

seventh annual Kaua’i Pop Warner Regional/National Qualifying Cheer Competition

that was held before an overflow crowd at Waimea High School last Sunday

morning.

Smartly dressed in white tops contrasted by the rich blue

coverall-style skirts representing the colors of the Kekaha Pop Warner

Association, the disbelieving girls were received warmly by their Midget

counterparts, the Chargers, as they crumbled in a heap on the floor of the gym

in their designated area.

Second place in that division was awarded to the

Koloa Packers, with third place going to the Kapa’a Steeler

pepsters.

“Trophies, titles, scholarships — they’re all great,” said

Yvonne Hosaka, cheer coordinator, as she welcomed the standing-room only crowd

of competitors, football players, parents, relatives and other

supporters.

“But, the true value of competition would be lost if only the

first-place finishers had a good time,” Hosaka said. “With the right mindset,

every participant can be inspired to higher levels of accomplishment by other

teams, exchange ideas with new friends from other associations, and show off

the most important part of spirit leaders: good sportsmanship.”

These words

governed the flow of activity throughout the morning as, under the expertise of

audio professional Teddy Perreira, the cheer squads raised the rafters of the

high school gym with their cheers, dance routines and formations.

The

newly-formed Northshore Association, fielding teams for the first time this

year, erupted in joy when Edmund Acoba, president of Kaua’i Pop Warner Football

League, announced their selection for the Sportsmanship trophy. The Giants

earned the title in the PeeWee division, while the Chiefs captured the title in

the Midget division.

Junior PeeWee squad Koloa Packers were awarded a

special Spirit Award for their exhibition performance, another first for this

year’s season. The Junior PeeWee division was added for the 2000

season.

The Lihu’e Dolphins picked up the Spirit Award in the PeeWee

division, while the Koloa Raiders earned the Midget division

prize.

Disregarding a hard night at the KIF volleyball games, the Waimea

High School cheerleaders opened the morning competition and watched intently

during the competitive phases before entertaining the audience one last time

while scores were being tallied.

Tension mounted as Acoba announced the

Kapa’a Vikings as the third-place winner in the Midget competition. As the

pepsters settled back into place, the anticipation grew thicker.

“In second

place,” Acoba said, followed by a pause as the crowd leaned forward, anxious

for the announcement, “… the Kekaha Chargers!”

The large group of Lihu’e

Titan cheerleaders hugged, screamed, and cheered, anticipating their

announcement as the first-place winners in the Midget division and a chance to

compete at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. for a national title.

For Avery

Kano, advisor for the Midget title winners, the national competition is no

stranger, having accompanied a Lihu’e squad to Florida previously only to have

national recognition come within grasp, but taken away by a wayward

scrunchie.

Shannon Morgado, advisor for the Kaua’i High School cheerleaders

as well as being a cheerleader for Colorado State University. headed the panel

of judges that also included Joyce Evans, former advisor for the Waimea High

cheerleaders, and alternate judge Holly Acoba, herself an ex-advisor for the

Kaua’i High School cheerleaders and active with the Kekaha Association’s cheer

program.

In addition to the competitive-phase judging, a special panel of

judges made up of cheer coordinators from each of the Kaua’i Pop Warner

districts scrutinized the performances with an eye for safety

considerations.

Staff photographer Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at

245-3681 (ext. 253).

Staff Photo by Dennis Fujimoto

THE LIHU`E

TITANS cheer squad goes through one of the routines en route to winning the

Midget division competition that gives them the right to compete at the

national competition in Disney World, Orlando, Fla., later this year.