When Madison Weishner was asked about what it was like to coach a group of girls to a Pop Warner National Cheerleading Championship, she pulls out her phone. She scrolls by dozens of pictures of smiling girls, wearing uniforms and huge smiles, and clicks on one specific group shot. She pinches and zooms on one girl’s big smile and says, “That’s Jordan. She made my face her background because she said she wants to see me everyday.” Weishner beams as she tells the story, and the pride in her face is unmistakable– and completely warranted.
Weishner has a lot to be proud of.
This first year coach and her team of young girls (ranging from ages nine to twelve) traveled to Florida, where they won first place for the Pop Warner National Champion Small Junior Peewee D1 Level.
But they didn’t start out national champions.
The day she attended her first practice with the team, Weishner was instantly shocked by the practice conditions.
On alternating days of the week, the team would practice in either an old elementary school in Waterbury or another facility in Waterbury. The girls were practicing on mats that were neither new enough nor big enough to be considered ideal for competition practice.
The differences Weishner noticed went beyond practice conditions.
“When I was at the first few practices, I noticed how different things were run- completely different than I was used to,” said Weishner.
She was aware that there were some methods she would have to adjust to but also aware she had to implement some changes.
And so, rather than being discouraged by the intimidating amount of adjustments the team needed, Weishner took action.
Weishner, a cheerleader herself for thirteen years, was gradually able to gain the girls’ trust, something she credits to her time on the other side of the mat.
“I know how to talk to the cheerleaders to get them to understand what the coach is asking them to do. Basically, I’m able to put myself in their shoes, and I think that plays a very important role in being a coach,” she said.
Although she was initially wary of seeming too controlling, Weishner eventually grew more confident in coaching, introducing new stretching techniques and giving the girls corrections. She says that getting to know each girl’s personality was helpful, because she knew which method of coaching each individual would respond to the best.
The team immediately reacted positively to her coaching techniques, and soon went on to win their first competition, followed by winning first place at regionals (a title they beat out eighteen other teams to receive).
But even after improving so drastically, the challenges this team would face were not over.
Their first place win at regionals meant that the team qualified for Nationals, a competition that takes place in Orlando. Obviously, the girls and their parents were ecstatic about the win, but a trip to Florida is expensive, and significant fundraising would have to be done in order for the team to go.
The stakes were high. If the girls did not go to the competition, they would be disqualified, as well as unable to compete in Pop Warner competitions for three years. $15,000 had to be raised in a mere twelve days.
Daunting circumstances, yes, but again Weishner chose to take action rather than remain intimidated.
Fundraisers such as karaoke nights, pasta dinners, pail shaking, raffle tickets, and eventually a GoFundMe (created by Weishner) raised enough money for the team to travel to Orlando.
In Orlando, the team was up against thirty other teams. The competition was intense. Despite the steep competition, and despite every challenge the team had faced up until that day, they did what Wishner believed they could do. They won.
Weishner describes the moment the girls discovered they had won as one that gave her, “instant chills.” The girls began to jump on her and hug her, incredibly grateful for all that she had done to help them earn a first place at Nationals.
The team had gone from never competing, to achieving an undefeated season. Watching the girls accomplish such a feat has inspired Weishner. She will be attending college next year, but she says that she will miss the girls immensely.
“They say, ‘We don’t know what we’ll do without you,’ and honestly I can say the same. I’m extremely sad I had only one year with them, and wish more than anything I had one more, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity and learning experience I was given,” said Weishner.
She says that she still remains in touch with the team and sees them often, and plans to help out whenever she is home from college. However, for the times when she cannot be there, she’s handing off the torch to a friend a year younger than her, a fellow cheerleader who knows how much the team means to Weishner.
It makes sense that she would want the team in good hands, as it is evident that, out of the whole experience, the bonds she formed with the girls is what affected her the most.
There is nothing else that exemplifies that better than the fact that, when asked about her highly impressive accomplishment, the first thing Weishner does is pull out a picture of her girls.
Tina is the Executive Social Media Director, and in charge of managing Hawk Headlines. She has spent three full semesters here, and is heavily involved with theater. Tina describes herself as a "pop culture aficionado".
