The Monmouth County Athletic League

The Monmouth County Athletic League Believes Sportsmanship is an Expectation.   So Please Let The Players Play, Let The Coaches Coach, Let The Officials Officiate, Let The Spectators Be Positive.  M.C.A.L. PRIDE 

2019 CHEERING EXHIBITION

DATE:  FEB. 22

NEW START TIME: ARRIVE BY 5:00
RE: CHEERLEADING GUIDELINES - OPEN ONLY TO M.C.A.L. MEMBERS

Don Neice will be the coordinator and announcer for our annual Cheerleading Exhibition.

Below are the guidelines for our exhibition:

1. Date:  Feb 22, 2019
2. Time: 5:45 PM - Teams arrive by 5:00 PM. (Warm ups start at 5:00)

THIS YEAR EACH TEAM WILL HAVE ASSIGNED TIMES FOR WARM UP
(Please remind parents that exhibition starts at 5:45)
3. Location: Manasquan High School Gymnasium
4. Each team will be given a maximum of six (6) minutes to perform.
5. Each team member and coach will receive a corsage in team colors, cheering pin and program upon arrival.
6. Each team should only do stunts and lifts to the level of their cheering squads ability.
7. Teams are required to complete application for exhibition by February 2, 2018.

8. Applications must be in by Feb. 1, 2019


Email: donneice@comcast.net
or
MAIL application to:

Don Neice, M.C.A.L. Director
                768 Lexington Drive
                Brick NJ 08724


Cheerleaders move from support to spotlight
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/15/06

BY MICHELLE GLADDEN
STAFF WRITER
It was standing room only, and there was no scarcity of excitement at the annual Monmouth County Athletic League Cheering Exhibition, which was held recently at Manasquan High School.

After a year of rooting for their school's soccer and basketball teams, it was the cheerleaders' turn to receive the adulations.

"This is my favorite event of the year because it spotlights the cheerleaders," said 13-year-old Chrissi Avitto, captain of the Neptune City Pirates. Her 15-member cheering squad's well-received routine was choreographed by 14-year-old Tyasia Cruz.

"I had originally created it as a dance for a talent show," Cruz said of the hip-hop-dance-influenced routine. "But we decided to use it for the team."

Organized by Don Neice, MCAL director, the Feb. 28 exhibition allowed each participating squad six minutes to showcase its routines.

"Their ability has improved every year," Neice said of the cheerleaders. "It's amazing how much these girls practice."

First on deck was the Bay Head Sharks, whose harmonized kicks and jumps to a music medley ended with cheers from not only the spectators but also the other squads.

"Ah, good job!" was the St. Catharine's Lakers' in-unison response to the Sharks and all of the other squads' performances.

With 18 girls on the junior varsity squad and 16 on the varsity squad, the Lakers had one of the largest contingents at the event.

"We meet two to three times a week for practice," said Kathy Cunningham, the squad's coach.

"I've been coaching for 25 years," Cunningham said. "This is my 13th year at St. Catharine."

With her mother as the school's cheering coach, it turned out to be inevitable that her daughter, Kaitlyn, would join the squad.

"I've been cheering for a long time," Kaitlyn said. "But this is my second year on the team."

"It's a good thing that she that she likes it," Cunningham said. "And thank God she's good at it."

Mackenzie Turner, 11, said she was inspired to join St. Catharine's team not only to follow in her older sister's footsteps, a member of the team 10 years ago, but also because her best friend Kaitlyn's mother was the coach.

"I always wanted to cheerlead," said Turner, who juggles cheering with softball and tennis. "My sister taught me how to do a cartwheel because I never took gymnastics. Now I can do round-offs and almost have a back handspring."

But challenges don't only come with mastering the physicality of the sport. For some, its a matter of mind over matter.

"Sometimes the hard part is if a girl is better than you and they are moved up," she said. "You feel let down."

Twelve-year-old Adriana Eteson of Belmar's Blazers agreed.

She said she needs a lot of focus as one of her team's front and back spotters.

"The hardest part for me tends to be memorizing everything and the counts," she said.


Michelle Gladden: (732) 643-4204 or mgladden@app.com


BE OF GOOD CHEER
The 2006 Monmouth County Athletic League Cheering Exhibition was held on Feb. 28. Participating squads included Bay Head's Sharks, Spring Lake Heights' Heights Pride, Neptune City's Pirates, Brielle's Blazers, Belmar's Eagles, Manasquan's Warriors and St. Catharine's Lakers. For information about the Monmouth County Athletic League, visit www.mcaleague.com on the Web.

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CHEERING EXHIBITION
Please Call In or Email Don Neice, M.C.A.L. Director, After Each Game - 732-458-9554 donneice@comcast.net