Great Hearts Cheer Clinics Bring Energy, Enthusiasm, and Skills

The Cicero Prep gym was filled with spirit and energy as students of all ages from Great Hearts academies throughout the Valley participated in a cheer fundamentals clinics led by Spirit Line Coordinator Rebecca Heller. The event was held ahead of the start of the school year and welcomed both new and returning athletes, aiming to teach skills, build confidence, and prepare for the season ahead.

Heller, a former cheerleader for the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, was joined by some of her past teammates to teach the clinic.

The day began with the first through fifth grade clinic. “The little kids were super adorable… I just want to take them home. They’re so cute,” she said. Heller felt it was important to expose the younger students to cheer, even though cheer programs at Great Hearts do not typically begin until sixth grade “We would love to see them be able to join these teams as they get older. I think there’s never a bad time to start learning. I think, in fact, if you learn, the sooner the better because then you’re just getting that knowledge. You’re gaining that confidence and then when it does come time for tryouts, you already have all of this knowledge, all of these skills.”

After the younger group finished, the focus shifted to the sixth through twelfth grade clinic. “We got a lovely group of girls here today,” Heller said. “The main goal for these clinics was just for those new athletes that are learning about cheer to come in and kind of just learn some new drills and just gain a lot of confidence. And then for those returning athletes, it’s a great way for them to refresh those fundamentals and just prepare for the season to come.”

Several students shared what brought them to cheer. “I was previously a dancer and I’ve kind of always wanted to do cheer. It just seems so fun. I love the team aspect. I have a lot of energy most of the time, so I feel like this will be a good way to kind of just use all that energy,” said Tatem Maire, a sophomore at Chandler Prep, where cheer will be introduced for the first time this year. Lincoln Prep is also launching a cheer program, expanding the sport to all of our Arizona prep academies.

The introduction of cheer programs at Great Hearts Arizona came about through the Prep School Promise, a Great Hearts initiative that began last year to bring several enhancements to the high school experience, all based on feedback from students and parents. The new cheer program has already added a dynamic new layer to game days at participating academies.

The addition of cheer has also expanded athletics opportunities for many Great Hearts students, like Chandler Prep senior, Joyce Lee. “This is my first year doing a school sport,” shared Lee. “And I decided since it was our first year opening cheer, I was like, why not just join for the girls, for the team, and maybe for exercise too.”

By the end of the day, Heller had one central takeaway. “My main goal was to really just refresh these fundamentals because these fundamentals are the building blocks when it comes to a good cheerleader, good stunts, good jumps, good dances.”

With these fundamentals under their belt, these students are ready to lead their teams and sports fans with school spirit. Games days will never be the same at our academies!

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