Fort Lee High School Cheerleaders Hold Dress Rehearsal Before Nationals

When the talented cheerleading squad of Fort Lee High School hosted a free exhibition for potential future squad members Thursday at the Jack Alter Community Center, the event was actually a dress rehearsal for the girls’ Nationals competition this weekend in Williamsburg, Va.

Coach Nina Anderson said that the girls practiced for more than 90 minutes before parents began arriving with their enthusiastic daughters. The current squad is comprised of girls from every high school grade, the majority of whom are juniors.

Though there are no prerequisites for joining the high school squad, it’s understood that girls need to have a minor degree of athletic skill as well as the appropriate voice, presence, and of course, spirit.

”They have to be able to do jumps, stands, cheer, they have to have poise and confidence," Anderson said. "There are a variety of things they need to have in order to try out for the team. If you have a dance background, you’re able to make the cheerleading team without ever having cheered before. [Same with] gymnastics experience.”

The Fort Lee High School squad has finished in the top 10 at Nationals for 14 consecutive years and has taken the title twice. That level of talent speaks for itself.

“[These girls] are doing college-level stunts,” Anderson said.

Anderson says they are hoping for a third win at Nationals this year, and it looks promising.

Tryouts are at the end of May or beginning of June, and all entering freshman are welcome to try out, Anderson said.

Anderson, who has been coaching for 24 years, started the year after she graduated from Fort Lee High School.

“I cheered from fourth grade until 12th grade,” she said.

Anderson says that even if a freshman doesn’t make the squad in her first year, she should absolutely try again.

“We’ve had freshman who tried out and did not make the team try out later as a sophomore and they did make the team,” she said.

Nationals are Saturday and Sunday Williamsburg, Va.