Youngsters learn the right moves from AHS cheerleaders at clinic

Nine-year-old Camryn McAllister sticks out her tongue as she jumps in the air, trying to get her arms and legs to the right positions before gravity pulls her back down.

Next to her, 10-year-old MaKenna Nations-Pearson’s blonde hair flies as she tries to do the perfect toe touch jump.

The pair, friends since kindergarten, were among the nearly 20 elementary school age girls at a junior cheer clinic last week put on by the Anacortes High School cheerleaders. Girls learned jumps, basketball cheers and a dance routine at the two-day clinic in Island View Elementary School’s auditorium.

They showed off their new skills with the AHS cheerleaders during the girls home basketball game Friday.

For McAllister and Nations-Pearson, cheerleading is nothing new. Both cheered with Anacortes Youth Cheerleading before attending the clinic.

“We wanted to do it together,” McAllister said.

“And we wanted to learn more cheer moves,” Nations-Pearson added.

The clinic started with a game of cheerleader says, much like Simon says only with cheerleading arm positions like high V, right punch and candlesticks.

Then it was time for jumps.

“Peanut butter/jelly/spread out,” the high school girls cheered to get the kids to move out around the room.

Cheerleaders demonstrated the moves and had the girls practice them sitting on the floor before doing the jumps.

“I just love seeing their expressions and letting them be a part of the high school cheerleading,” said Cynthia Webber, an AHS senior who has cheered for three years. “They’re so cute.”

The high schoolers came up with easier moves to show their young apprentices before moving on to harder tricks.

“We get into jumps and then to the dance part. That’s our big finale,” she said.

The popular clinics were brought back this year after a two-year hiatus, said Erin Clark, cheerleading coach.

Some of the current AHS cheerleaders were part of similar clinics years ago. Clark said it is a good opportunity for the younger girls

“They definitely look up to the girls. They want to be like them,” Clark said.

Webber says the girls see them as role models.

“Whenever they come to a game I imagine them thinking ‘I want to be like that when I get older.’ That’s how I was,” she said.

“Switch it/change it/rearrange it,” the high schoolers cheered to get the younger girls ready to learn the dance.

The young cheerleaders were all smiles and personality as they practiced the moves and struck a pose at the end.

The evening ended with the girls learning basketball cheers like “Dribble it/pass it/we want a basket” and “To the hoop ’Hawks/to the hoop ’Hawks/let’s score two more.”

McAllister and Nations-Pearson were visibly excited after nearly two hours of cheering. And they were ready to keep going with a practice session at home.

“It was nice of them to do the program,” McAllister said.

“Really nice,” Nations-Pearson added. “They’re really nice and really good.”