Wadsworth football success does not only involve the football team, it involves the cheerleaders too, and all the effort they put into getting everyone off their feet and cheering for the team.

Wadsworth cheerleaders will tell you that this year is unlike any other year in the past for cheerleading and the changes are shown throughout how they cheer. They got the approval to do actual stunts this year as opposed to just doing chants and getting the crowd cheering. They could not do stunts in the past because of the injury risk. Whether it be someone who fell and broke a bone or fell from the top of the stunt and fell onto those holding them up. 

Meredith Hire, a junior at Wadsworth High School (WHS), has been cheering for two years at the varsity level. Hire is one of the first to be able to do the stunts. She also does competition cheer where doing stunts is more normal and casual, which has helped her.

Her role during stunts is a base that helps hold the flyer. However, she has transitioned from being a main base to a back spot. The back spot’s job is to make sure that the girl on the top is safe. If she fell, Hire would be there to catch her. 

“I think they are fun and there is a lot of work but I think overall it is good, it gets the crowd involved more, “ Hire said.

Jillian Septer, a junior at Wadsworth High School, is currently cheering for the WHS JV’s cheer team and has been in cheer since her youth.

“I enjoy cheer because I like being able to make friends and hangout with my friends,” Septer said. 

The cheer program is growing in Wadsworth with changes being made with every passing year. This year it was stunting, next year students can see even more growth in cheer incorporating new chants, dances, or even more stunts.