Lions Cheerleaders Roar Past the Competition

What makes Lacey Lions co-ed cheerleading head coach Kelly Zuccarelli the proudest is not finishing third in the nation at the National High School Cheerleading Championship, but how they did it.

Eight days prior to the team leaving for Florida for the competition, two cheerleaders were removed from the squad. With 20 spots allowed per team on the floor, each person was a vital piece. To make matters worse, the Lions had to replace half of the allowed four boys on the squad. Just finding interested kids would be trouble.

Jarrod Molzon and Brian Mykilow, Zuccarelli's "hero's", stepped up tp the challenge and filled in. The football players were used to extensive training, but not the four to five hours they received over the next eight days.

"We could not water down our routine," said Zuccarelli, "They were very quick learners with plenty of athletic experience, but they really gave up their bodies for us. For us to finish third adding new members eight days before is unheard of."

Leading the way for the Lions are captains Giana Dimicco, Ashley Cook, David Vieira, and Nicole Cafiero. Dimicco and Cook not only were captains, they were named to the All State team.

Achievements of the squad include: finishing undefeated, finishing first in every competition, five state titles in a row, finishing third in the nation, and making nationals the past three years.

"It's unbelievably satisfying," said Zuccarelli, who works a very demanding job as well. "These children are role models not just for future cheerleaders, but in every day life."

The athletes make huge sacrifices to partake. For one, practice can be grueling and take away from time outside of school. Secondly, the despite long practices, they are focused and determined in the class room, 20 percent of the squad is in the National Honor Society.

"They're simply the best of the best," says Zuccarelli, "we are all a big family, I don't think you could find 20 better children in the world.