Wyverns Sports Corner

Wyvern Cheerleaders Gearing Up For First Half-Time Performance

Wyvern power is alive and well at Quinsigamond Community College. Just ask Amerlin Vasquez, Tamara Charles and Regina Slootsky, three QCC students who also happen to be members of the Wyvern cheerleading club.

 The students are part of the cheering club, a group of six students who make up the Wyvern cheering team. The student cheer at home and away QCC men’s basketball games, and on January 17 at QCC’s home game against Holyoke Community College, they will perform a half-time show. This will be their first half-time show, as they have previously only cheered from courtside.

Ms. Vasquez, who is the club president, is a seasoned cheerleader. She moved to Massachusetts in March of this year from New Jersey, registering for the Criminal Justice Program. It was during the college’s annual Club Rush that she found out about the Cheerleading Club. Ms. Slootsky had approached her to see if she was interested in cheering for QCC after she noticed the cheerleading jacket she was wearing.

“I was a cheerleader all four years in my high school (Bagota High School in New Jersey),” Ms. Vasquez said, adding that her high school team was in many competitions and had even won the Liberty Lion Cheer competition.  

Ms. Slootsky said this was her second year in the cheerleading club and while she had no real experience cheering, has embraced being a cheerleader, after a devastating and debilitating accident in high school left her unable earn a spot on her high school cheerleading team.

“I came to QCC in 2017 and was cleared for sports by my doctor. I found out there was not a cheerleading team but we could do a club team,” she said, noting this was a way for her to do the cheering she was unable to do in high school.

According to Tamara Charles, secretary of the club, QCC is the only community college that has a cheerleading team.

“We practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,” she said, noting the other cheerleading club members: Precious Love Devine, Geiselyn Deleon-Sanchez and Lizabeth Felize.

This year, the club members worked with the college’s Fab Lab to design impromptu uniforms, which they have been wearing to games.

 “We are honestly so very grateful for all the work and help that Alex Gray in the Fab Lab gave us,” Ms. Charles said.

While the students are thrilled to have these uniforms, they are working to raise funds in order to buy official cheerleading uniforms and shoes. They are currently holding a fundraising raffle for a variety of gift baskets. Tickets are $2 each and the winners will be drawn at the Jan. 17 game.

Tickets are available through any club member, at the Athletic Center (In Assistant Manager Josh Cole’s office), or email qccwyverncheerleaders [at] gmail.com. Tickets will also be available before half-time at the January 17 game.

“Anyone who is interested in being in the cheerleading club can also email us,” Ms. Vasquez said.

Athletic Center Winter Break Hours

Friday, December 21: 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 22:  10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

Monday, December 24:  8:00 a.m. - 4:00 .pm.

The Athletic Center will be closed December 25 through January 1

Reopen Wednesday, January 2.