Peewee Cheerleaders take first place at competition

Nov. 12, 2019 | Dennis Hackett

The Westfield Bombers Pewee?Cheerteam earned first place in the Fly High Cheerleading Competition last month.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo

WESTFIELD – On Oct. 19, the Westfield Peewee cheerleaders took home first place in the Fly High Cheerleading competition at Central High School in Springfield.

Coach Kim Starsiak  has been a part of the cheerleading program for nine years and has coached for the past seven. This year she said she coached the peewee and senior teams with her friend Amber Nawkson.

She explained the age groups are broken down into peewees, which is third and fourth grade, the juniors, which are fifth and sixth grade, and the seniors which are seventh and eighth grade. She added that there were eight teams from each age group at the Fly High competition.

Teams were given a general set of rules for the competition, and were competing against new teams.  

“They give you a set of rules, but it’s very generalized. And we had never really come across these teams before,” Starsiak said.

Starsiak said that the core group of the Peewee Bombers, the Fab Five or the Perpetual Peewees as she called them, have been peewees for years.

“They were probably more excited because they’ve been a part of the same team for so long. They’re all really close friends, they do a lot of stuff together, it’s super cute,” she said. She added that the Fab Five will be moving up to the junior division next year.

Starsiak said the whole team was very emotional after the win. “You should have heard them squeal, it was the cutest thing ever. Then the parents were crying and Amber and I were crying,” she said.

She added, “We know they’re good, we see them every week but we had no clue what we were getting into. It’s like winning the Super Bowl in your first go of it.”

Starsiak said when they won the whole team was given one trophy for the victory, but that didn’t stop everyone from celebrating.

 “It was funny because they each took a turn taking it home and having sleepovers with it. It was super cute,” she said.

Starsiak said she and the cheerleaders are looking forward to the next Fly High competition after the junior and senior groups did not place as high as the Peewees.

“It’s funny because now that we know what it’s all about, we’re on a mission. We started a tumbling class last night, we are on it,” she said.

The Fly High competition was the second competition for the cheerleaders; they also participated in an expo in October. Starsiak said that event isn’t as competitive as the Fly High competition but brings in cheerleaders from all of the surrounding towns including Longmeadow, Northampton and Chicopee.

“It’s no competition, everyone just shows their stuff. The way you win is through spirit,” she said. She added the Westfield youth cheerleaders last won several years ago when the city hosted the cheer expo.

The youth cheerleaders also cheered on Westfield’s youth football teams at the Super Bowl at South Hadley High School on Nov. 9.

While the cheerleading season is over, Starsiak said the girls will be celebrating the end of their season with a banquet at Shaker Farms Country Club on Nov. 17.

“We have a really strong support group, a good set of parents. These guys are all for it and we are super proud,” Starsiak said.

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