Riverview's Mini Cheer Camp culminates in performance at high school football game

A group of young cheerleaders put the cherry on top of some hard work, as they concluded Riverview School District’s fall Mini Cheer Camp by performing skills they learned during the week in front of the entire community Sept. 11 at the Riverview High School football game.

Despite Riverview’s loss to Carlynton, the youngsters showed their school spirit by taking part in their own cheers and also by teaming up with the varsity cheerleading squad for lively performances on the field during the game.

The football game was the highlight of the camp, which began the previous night with a two-and-a-half-hour session at Riverview High School. Children in grades K-6 from both 10th Street Elementary in Oakmont and Verner Elementary in Verona learned a series of cheer and spirit routines from the varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders and coaches. This year’s event featured a total of 69 campers taking part.

Head varsity cheerleading coach Cathy Hornsby highlighted how enjoyable the event was for both the campers and the high school cheerleaders.

“It was so much fun for both the Mini Cheer campers and the Riverview Raider cheerleaders to get together and support the team and the community,” she said.

Assistant coach Penny McClelland agreed.

“The girls absolutely love it, both the cheerleaders and the campers,” McClelland said. “For us, this event means everything. We are preparing the girls for the future, and we’re excited for some of them to become potential cheerleaders down the line.”

The camp has been running in its current form for five years, though they did take a hiatus last season due to the covid-19 pandemic. In fact, this year’s camp, which was fully masked and social distanced for the indoor portion Friday night, took on additional meaning for the kids and their parents, who were excited to be back together with friends in a social environment after having their activities limited for the past 18 months.

“It was something she was really looking forward to getting together with friends outside of school and just having fun,” said parent volunteer Amy Borowski, whose fifth grade daughter Evelyn took part in the camp. “A lot of the kids were just ready for this.”

Kristin Bowers, whose daughter Raegan, a second grader, also took part in the camp, expressed a similar sentiment.

“This has been such a great way for the kids to connect with others outside of the classroom, which was really needed,” she said.

The parents were also pleased to see their children enjoy some physical activity. The kids were not only practicing at the camp and performing at the game, they also brought the cheer activities home with them as well.

“She was so excited when she came home that she spent a lot of time practicing her cheers outside on the porch,” Bowers said.

Dave Borowski, Evelyn’s father and Amy’s husband, was pleased to see the kids doing so much outdoor activity.

“This has been such a good chance for the kids to get out and do some physical activity,” he said. “Now they’re spending quality time outside at the game. And they’re showing plenty of school and community spirit. It’s been great.”

For anyone who is interested but missed the camp, the Riverview cheerleaders will be organizing a second Mini Cheer Camp this year in advance of basketball season. The cost is $30, which goes to help support the high school cheerleaders. Interested parents can email rhscheerleaders19@gmail.com to register their children.