RallyNorth.net

Danvers Cheerleading

Thursday, October, 18 By Amanda McGregor
Staff writer

The Danvers High School Varsity Football Cheerleaders are a young, dedicated team this year.

The 20-member team has been under coach Sherri Blomster's leadership since last year, when they placed a close fourth in the regional Northeast Conference Cheerleading Competition. They are practicing hard and gearing up for this year's Northeast Conference on Nov. 4.

"Last year was kind of a building year," Blomster said. "People said we came out of nowhere (at the competition). That alone was huge. The program itself is just growing every year."

The team recently participated in the Walk for Hospice of the North Shore, and they practice every night for at least two hours, according to Blomster.

"They are just all around a great group," she said. "They get along so well, it's incredible. If somebody's down, they're always picking each other up."

The team is made up of four freshmen, five sophomores, six juniors, and five seniors -- led by senior captains Kristie Lariviere, Deirdre Perry and Hollie Salvo. All 20 girls compete so there are no alternates on the team.

"We've had a couple of injuries, a couple of broken noses and little things here and there, and they've all pulled through it," said Blomster, herself a former Danvers cheerleader who graduated in 2002.