Oceanside cheerleaders sail to success

The Oceanside High School cheerleading teams have made waves with their standout performances in recent competitions. The varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams have brought home a number of victories, and the varsity squad has earned spots at the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida, next month.

The varsity cheerleaders, led by head coach Samantha Chaback and assistant coaches Kristen Pizzuto and Sadie Olson, have had a stellar month. They not only took first place in the Varsity Class A division at a competition at John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore on Dec.16, but they also earned bids for the nationals in both Traditional and Game Day routines at the UCA Empire Regional Competition in New York City on Dec. 17. This marks the ninth consecutive year that the varsity team will be heading to the nationals.

Varsity captain Ashley Camacho and JV captain Angelina Ricoctone highlighted the challenges and hard work that go into perfecting routines. Despite the demanding nature of cheerleading, the team members’ unity and their support for one another have helped fuel their success.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into the season, and a lot of practices, but we’re supportive of each other,” Ricoctone said. “Both teams are very close, so that also helps, and I’m really proud of everybody for this past season.”

The JV cheer team, coached by Jillian Edelman, won back-to-back competitions on Dec. 2, at Farmingdale High School, and on Dec. 9, at W.T. Clarke High, in Salisbury, with record-high scores for the JV program.

The middle school team, under the guidance of coach Kayla Toscano, also had top-notch performances. The squad had its first competition of the season on Dec. 16, at MacArthur High School, in Levittown, where the cheerleaders executed a perfect routine with no deductions. They team also placed second in Garden City High School on Jan.13.

“This year has been stressful,” said middle school cheerleader Keila Luciano, 13. “It’s a lot of work that’s put into it. People tend to think that all we’re doing is cheers and dances and we’re not doing much work. But we practice every single day, and we do competitions. People have to know that it’s a very committed sport. You have to come into cheerleading with the mindset of working for yourself and for your team. We lift each other, and we’re our own cheerleaders.”

As the varsity team prepares for the nationals at the Walt Disney World Resort Feb. 9-12, the school will host the annual Battle by the Sea competition on Saturday, and the Section 8 Nationals Send-Off, featuring teams from across the county that are headed to Orlando, on Sunday. The second event is not only a display of talent, but also a fundraiser for cheerleading scholarships.

This is Chaback’s 13th year of coaching, and her eighth with the varsity team after five with the JV. She also serves as the treasurer of the Nassau County Cheerleading Coaches association board. Chaback explained the format of the send-off.

“It’s going to run like a competition, but without judges,” she said. “Teams will have the opportunity to show their routines to the crowd.” The $5 admission fee contributes to a scholarship fund for seniors that recognizes both academic and athletic achievements.

Camacho expressed their excitement about competing in the nationals, and emphasized that their goal isn’t necessarily to win, but to leave the mat with a sense of accomplishment and pride in their performance.

“It’s an amazing experience, and I hope everyone else coming up to varsity gets to experience it at least once,” Camacho said. “There are so many good teams going there, but we go there definitely expecting to do our best, because the experience itself is so worth it.”

Chaback highlighted the importance of building the cheerleaders’ confidence, acknowledging the pressure that comes with maintaining their record of consecutive appearances at nationals.

“In the beginning, we couldn’t even believe we were qualifying, and now we have to qualify, because we’ve set this precedent,” she said. “When we go down there, our goal this year is to make it into the semifinal round. We’ve only done it once before, but I would just like them to go out there and be proud of what they leave on the mat. Whether we move on or not, it’s a great experience.”

The coaches expressed their gratitude for the community’s support, and recalled how far the program had come at the high school. “Jill and I both graduated from Oceanside, and it wasn’t like this when we were here,” Chaback said. “We all built the program and set high expectations for them.”