By James A. Vezos
While being in competition for only five years, the Kearny Generals Cheering squad exploded into a program that not only showcased their potential but also their desire to be the best. The Eastern Cheer Association (ECA) National Championships in Virginia is where they left their biggest mark, taking first place.
Under the direction of Justine Esteves, Jamie Guedes, and Joel Nunez, Kearny Generals Cheering first made a huge name for themselves by sweeping the boards in competitions in and around the State of New Jersey.
The mix tape they danced to accurately defines the group and how they evolved. The tape included the songs, “Dynamite” and “All I Do Is Win.” Although finishing in second place in Bayonne, Kenilworth, and West New York, the squad was victorious in Hopatcong, Lyndhurst, Woodridge and Garfield where they were named Grand Champions for this year.
In the biggest competition of their year, the National Championships, held in Williamsburg this spring, they were able to score of 316 out of 400 in the Sr. Rec Level 4 Division. Stunning the crowd with high-flying acrobats and extreme precision dancing, the squad finally felt that their hard work had paid off.
When they first started to compete, they did not expect the program to mold into such a finely tuned machine.
To read the full story, see this week’s issue of The Observer.
