RANDOLPH — On the back of an undefeated league and CCAA season, Randolph competitive cheerleading coach Abbie Shelvin, while trying not to jinx the program, dubbed her team “history-makers.”
And for more reasons than one, they are.
According to Shelvin, long has the local hub of competition cheer been mainly encapsulated in the Buffalo area. But after a growing desire from her team to get in on the action, Randolph became a spearhead, giving the sport inroads into Southwestern New York.
Prior to competition cheer, there was only what Shelvin described as “traditional cheer,” where the team would go out and support the football team.
However, a competitive environment gave the team a sense of autonomy, and some reassurance that they existed without needing the football team to be present.
“It gives us more of a purpose and drive, and it’s really showing my girls what it means to be an athlete, and it’s created so many opportunities for my team,” Shelvin said. “It’s really another great way for girls to get involved in sports.”
“Now we’re starting to see bigger picture things. I really want to get the name of cheerleading out there. I love that we get quoted as ‘over-spirity’ and we have a cute photo, but I would love it if coaches would start reporting their scores, like we would do with track.”
THIS SEASON, Randolph participated — and claimed victory — in three Section 6-sanctioned league competitions and the CCAA Championship. After claiming league glory, the Cardinals went to the Section 6 Championship where their win streak came to an end as did its fall competition season.
But the team was not limited to its competitions, it also cheered for the Randolph football team all season long.
Shelvin said that the team cherishes the moments they can get in front of the stereotypically large crowds Randolph football draws in. Not only does it help sharpen their skills and support the team on the field, but it helps them think and prepare for the upcoming basketball season, and second competition season of the year.
“We always love coming back to (cheering for football),” Shelvin said. “We get to use the games as supporting our team, but also practicing our routines, which is awesome. … But the other awesome thing about cheer is most of my girls roll over into the basketball season, and we start our competitive season there, which is called Competitive Cheer. It’s a different style to Game Day.”
Randolph’s Kierra Dexter (front) stands with her arms extended during her team’s routine at the Section 6 Championship.
WHAT PUTS all the accomplishments that the Randolph team was able to rack up this season into perspective is the fact that this is only the team’s second year of competing. While they may be new to the scene, Shelvin noted that the leadership and selflessness that she has seen from her team has not allowed for any problems to arise.
“I have nine seniors on the team, and these nine seniors have really set the tone, and also have set the bar for future teams,” Shelvin said. “Usually, you come in as a senior and you want it to be all about you. You want to be the top dog. … But these girls, it’s just miraculous, they want it to be about the team. They always put the team first and that has sprinkled down into my new, young freshman. It’s such a game-changer. … It’s like a well-oiled machine. They look out for each other, they support each other.”
That trust that Shelvin has seen her cheerleaders have in one another is indispensable, according to her. In any sport, players need to be able to trust one another and also trust the coaches. But when it comes to cheer, the need for a high level of understanding is heightened, considering there is no room for error.
“We can’t do what we do if our girls don’t trust each other,” Shelvin said. “Luckily, there’s kindness and love on our team, and that really helps. But another thing that is huge and very different from any other sport is in cheerleading, there’s no substitutes. Every single girl plays. Every single girl starts. If someone misses practice, we can’t do a stunt or we can’t get in formation. So, not only do they have to trust each other to be put in the air six feet up, but they also have to trust that they’re going to choose this and choose to be champions and show up to all the practices and all the games. That’s a huge thing that I think a lot of schools are missing right now because teams haven’t totally bought in that this is a sport and this is my first priority.”
BUT NOW, slowly but surely, other local schools such as Salamanca, whose cheer team won the varsity spirit award at their first competition this season, have taken notice are jumping aboard the ship.
Shelvin takes a great amount of pride, not only in the success of her team this year, but also in the part they played in exposing the area to competition cheer.
“I always say that the RCS cheerleaders are history makers,” Shelvin said. “This group of girls continues to … hit a goal that I’ve given them, or we’ve made together as a group, and then they always are ready to take it one step further. I have never met a group of women like this, and the world needs to watch out, because I think they might take it over. They’re such hard workers, and to win four competitions in a row is unheard of in the cheer world. We get three minutes, we don’t get four quarters or two halves of 80 minutes, or whatever it is … it’s one shot, one time. And each time we perform, the girls take it and go one step farther. I really am so proud of what they did at sectionals.”
Now, while the fall season may officially be in the books, now is no time to slow down according to Shelvin as her team begins preparations for the upcoming winter competition and basketball season.
