Reasons to Cheer at SRHS for Varsity and JV "Spirit Leaders"

If you think cheerleading is just big teeth, tassels and pompoms, think again. Or ask the members of the cheerleading squads, who once again are rising to the top level of competitive events.

“Not too many people understand all that cheerleading encompasses these days,” said high school cheerleading coach Shawna Hoch. “It includes a combination of vigorous stunting skills and tumbling in addition to dance and of course the traditional cheer.” 

Indeed, both the varsity and junior varsity teams scored well in the USA Regional Championships, held last weekend at Sonoma State University. The JV squad scored a third place, while the Varsity cheerleaders came in second out of the 10 teams competing.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the placements the girls earned on Sunday,” enthused Hoch, who works days at the . “Both teams have been working toward this accomplishment since May and we couldn't be prouder.” Hoch has been coaching cheer for 10 years, the last 4 at the high school.

Their high place finishes mean both teams are invited to the USA High School Spirit National Championships, to be held next March in Anaheim. Last year’s SRHS squads also competed in the nationals, and came away with a respectable 5th place finish.

Cheer – the preferred name for the activity or sport – encompasses more than just being spirit leaders and enthusiastic supporters of the high school teams, Hoch emphasized. “The life of a cheerleader is a rigorous one,” she said.

“The girls also participate in a variety of community outreach events, attend cheer camp in the summer, participate in dozens of fundraisers to raise the funds needed to cover their team expenses and practice 4 days a week to prepare for their game day performances and competitions.

“All this while [they are] maintaining an average team GPA of 3.486 for Varsity and 3.38 for JV,” Hoch concluded.

This year the varsity cheer squad has 23 girls, co-captained by Allie Hoch and Erika Proaps; the JV team has 10 members, with Maria Hernandez and Bronwen Lane sharing captain's duties.

“I keep trying to convince the boys at SRHS that they should try out for cheer, but they are sadly unconvinced,” said Hoch. For the record, both President George W. Bush and the writer of this article were male cheerleaders in high school.

You can see the cheerleading squads in action on their San Rafael Cheer! Facebook page. The next time they perform at San Rafael High will be at the outset of the basketball season, with the first home game being January 5, 2012.