Ode to the DSHS Raiders Cheerleaders

Five years ago the concept of the Dover Sherborn Cheer Team was introduced at the 2008 Thanksgiving Day Football game when Boosters extended an invitation to the Needham Wellesley A squad cheer team (coached by head coach Patty Gallagher with assistants Cindy Holmes and myself, Wendy Bornstein) to attend the game.  Of note,  five members of the Needham Youth Cheer Team would be freshman at DS the following fall and hoped to be able to continue cheering at the high school level.

The support and enthusiasm of this event lit the spark to re-launch the DSHS Cheer team that had last cheered in 2006.   Headed up by Patty Gallagher with the assistant coaching team of Cindy and Wendy, we set out to have a new team in place for the fall of 2009.  The majority of the girls on the team had participated in the Needham Cheer program and specifically included Rachael Bornstein ’10, Christie Moore  ’10 as Captains with sophomore Marielle Mekkaoui ’12 and  freshmen Michelle Bornstein, Alexandra Forte, Maggie Gallagher, Kira Holmes and Tori Weden all ‘13s .  In addition we were lucky our first year to attract, All Star Level 5 Cheerleader Jen Larimer who helped create much of the choreography and technique still used today.  Each year a few additional girls have been added keeping the team at a level of 12 to 15 girls. 

As coaches we are very proud and see how significantly the cheer program has added to the landscape of the Dover Sherborn high school culture.  The program is well supported and recognized in partnership with the DS Raiders Varsity Football Team.  The level and skill of the girls has improved significantly over the years and as a team the girls are extremely professional and well polished.  For the current high school population there has always been a cheer team.  The girls have brought much needed enthusiasm and spirit to Dover Sherborn.  The words BLUE, BLACK and WHITE, Come on RAIDERS LETS FIGHT are very familiar to hear at each football game.

Examples of our contributions include the introduction of National School Spirit Day on the first Friday of the academic year,  cheer clinics for elementary school students, special events at many home football games, and leadership of the team at the annual all school Pep Rally and Bonfire before the Thanksgiving game. 

Most of the original team members will be graduating and leaving their high school legacy of launching the cheer team behind. The leadership and teamwork skills they have learned will carry with them as they graduate from DS and start their postsecondary careers.   Graduating seniors include Michelle Bornstein*, Alexandra Forte*, Maggie Gallagher*, Kira Holmes*, Leanne Keene*, Lexie Pereira, Tori Weden* and Samantha Williams.  The three coaches have high school seniors and have announced that this will be their last season as well. Plans are in place to help the underclass team cheer team  recruit new members as well as a coach for next fall.   Everything will be done to keep the program as strong as ever.  If you would like any information on how to participate in the cheer program or have suggestions of a potential cheer coach please contact Patty at mrsgal@comcast.net .

It will be with much emotion that our team will be cheering at the final game of the season on Thanksgiving this year.   We hope to have a large fan zone of current and future high schoolers, DS alumni and their families at this years’ Thanksgiving game and invite you to come say goodbye to our graduating seniors.  Of note, there will be a ceremony to acknowledge all senior cheerleaders and football players at 9:30 am with a 10am kickoff.  This is a home game at Dover Sherborn High School.

We are very thankful and happy for the support and recognition received over the past four years but recognize it will be time for a change.  The foundation has been laid for a strong and well-established cheer program.   We only hope the initial spark from 2009 will continue to burn for many years to come. 

GO RAIDERS!!

 check out our season on https://www.facebook.com/DsCheer2012?bookmark_t=page

* Has been on team all 4 years