Give a Cheer for Fairfield Warde - FCIAC Champs

Cheerleaders at Fairfield Warde High School nearly gave up hope of placing in last Sunday's FCIAC championship when the announcer called their cross-town rival as the third place winner. Momentarily disheartened, the 18 girls disentangled from linking pinky fingers and they uncrossed their arms, legs and ankles. Since the start of the season, this has been the girls' way of showing unity as they await the judges' decisions.

Then, with one last breath of optimism, the Warde cheerleaders quickly hooked arms and pinkies again. Within seconds, they were all jumping to their feet, though, and shouting with joy as their school was named as the FCIAC's first place winner. Greenwich High School came in second.

"It was unbelievable!" exclaimed Britney St. Pierre, the 17-year-old senior who shares co-captain responsibilities with C. J. Seveno.

The theme of Fairfield Warde's winning routine, which included a cheer section and choreographed dance to music, is "love," said Coach Stephanie Falcone. The words to the cheer are, "We're in it to win it and we'll do it with heart."

Falcone, who is assisted by her sister, Catey Mascia, and Rachel Gregorio, said this year's squad truly embodies this motto. "This particular team is very united," Falcone said. "They want it. I enjoy coming to practice. It's great to see everyone getting along. They all have the same goal in mind."

Moreover, Falcone attributes this strong sense of camaraderie to the senior girls. "They're the ones who really brought the team together," Falcone said. "They're phenomenal kids...They want everyone to get along. In fact, they didn't want to be labeled 'The Seniors' so they call themselves, 'The Pickles.' "

Three girls were individually recognized as All-FCIAC. To earn this title, Elise Sondheim, Ariel Hendrick and C.J. Seveno were required to perform independently in a routine that showcases their stunt work and skills.

For Elise, 17, the best part of being a cheerleader is working together as a team. "Cheerleading is a team sport," she said. "When one person is absent at practice, we can't do anything. We need every single girl there.”

Not only are they moving in synchronicity, but they're also responsible for throwing their teammates - called "the fliers" - up in the air and then catching them. This is done in rhythm. The cheerleaders are also supposed to make their routines, comprised of complex gymnastic moves, look effortless.

As a flier, Ariel relies heavily on her teammates. "It's  all about trust, and I trust these girls with my life," she stated. "We trust each other outside of our cheerleading, too."

Britney pointed out that the girls who are on the bottom of the pyramid structure - called "The base" - are also in peril. The Fairfield Warde cheerleaders said a girl who holds this crucial position is more at risk of getting injured by a foot kicked in her face or by an errant arm than the fliers. "The people under the flier need to put the flier first," Britney said.

And sometimes there isn't a whole lot of time to react when they notice that something is wrong. When this occurs, C. J. said that girls who are the base intuitively make adjustments with their own bodies to ensure the flier's safety. In a split second, a girl in the base needs to figure this out, she noted.

Elise said that although she's been put in every position, she is more frightened when acting as the base. "If one finger is out of place, it could be a problem," she said. "It's up to us to keep that stunt in place.”

Falcone, obviously proud of last weekend's win, said the Warde cheerleaders really put their hearts into their routine when they take to the floor. The Warde cheerleaders head to a state competition next month.

Although Falcone's been at the helm of the Fairfield Warde squad for 13 years, she won't be returning this fall. With working full-time and attending daily practices each night, Falcone said she  hasn't had much time to spend with her 2-year old son, Aaron.

"You could always go back to coaching but you can't go back to being a mom,”  Falcone said.