Competitive cheerleading in Harrison and East Newark has always been a proud tradition in the community, but since COVID, the program hasn’t existed. This year that all changed. The Town of Harrison and Borough of East Newark agreed to let tryouts begin in late spring 2024. A team was selected of 6- to 10-year-old athletes and the next generation of competitive cheerleaders was born.
The team and coaches worked to perfect skills and choreography, while families also fundraised for the purchase of uniforms and competition registration fees. Their hard work has certainly paid off because the little Rogue Waves team has been crashing through the cheer world in big ways.
They have placed first in every event they have competed in, while also taking home grand champion honors, and highest session score in many events. So what is the secret to their success? Coaches Mairey Madalena, Jenna Lasky, Lauren Lasky and Gabby Rodrigues believe it has to do, in part, with the team and parents’ dedication to being the best while also enriching the girls in the long history and traditions of Blue Tide Cheer programs that came before them.
It also helps three of the four coaches cheered for the very program, and Madalena’s mother was a long time coach of Harrison Recreation Cheerleading.
What’s next for the team?
They head to a competition at American Dream Mall March 8, 2025 call ImpACT’s Last Team Standing where their goal will be to win. They encourage community members to take a trip to the mall to view this event of spirit and athleticism.
And then it’s back to practice before they attend their very first National Championship April 5, 2025 in Trenton, hosted by All Out Brands. As a nationals send ff they will be honored at a pasta party fundraiser at the Harrison East Newark Elks April 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $15 per person. For ticket information, send an email to harrison.bluetide.compcheer@gmail.com
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.