Cheerleading is a sport that is often disregarded by other athletes. People call it entertainment and not a real or vigorous sport. In actuality, cheerleading is a very complex and tough sport.

Between two-and-a-half hour to four hour practices and intense tumbling, cheerleading is defined by dictionary.com as “to perform gymnastic feats of skill and agility, as leaps or somersaults.”  Cheerleading at CB South is for grades nine through twelve, and the squad is affiliated with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Coaches Merriah, Britney, and Marissa lead the cheerleaders, teaching the cheerleaders their routines quickly.

Besides getting the crowd riled up at the football games and other sporting events, the cheerleaders at South perform in competitions. With their hours of practice and their perseverance, the South cheer team often succeeds in what they do—whether it is exciting the crowds or winning in competitions.

Because of her many years of experience with competitive cheerleading and her dedication to the team, one cheerleader stands out among all of the other athletes: Lexi Freeburger. Lexi is a sophomore at CB South, and although she didn’t cheer with South in her freshman year, she has been cheering for nine years with other teams like Horsham Hawks, State All-Stars, Unami Middle School, Warrington Warriors, and now CB South. She is an alternate for varsity, though she is mainly on junior varsity.

She said she believes that there isn’t too much of a difference between South’s cheer team and the other teams that she has cheered for, though “South is one of the best.” According to Lexi, “Everyone [on the Central Bucks South cheer team] works extremely hard for what they do.”

While Lexi also works very hard for what she can accomplish on the team, everyone needs practice. Lexi works especially hard on tumbling, which is quite understandable because it is a complex art to master. She is a base on the pyramid, which calls for immense strength and skill, as she must lift others for long periods.

The whole CB South cheer team is filled with amazing contributors, and Lexi Freeburger hopes to continue to cheer with them during her next two years at South.