By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – “The kids on our competitive teams are more than just friends. They become almost family,” said Matthew Holdridge, a coach and owner of Bay State Cheer & Dance, describing the closeness that develops, particularly on the program's full-year teams.
These teams start practicing in June, right after tryouts, which will be held this year Wednesday and Thursday, May 30 and 31, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the training center. They work all year on their routines, participating in both local and national competitions, including for some teams the World Championships, held this past April in Orlando, Fla.
But for cheerleader athletes who may not want quite such a demanding schedule, Bay State also offers a half-year program that starts up after the recreational and high school football season. The cheerleaders in this program form teams that participate in local competitions.
A major change on the competitive cheerleading circuit starting this past year, Holdridge noted, is that the half-year programs now compete only with each other, not with full-year program teams which have been together and practicing for as much as six months longer.
“Our half-year team this year was undefeated in competitions against other half-year teams,” he said.
Bay State, which is located on Route 20 right across from the Hebert Candy Mansion, started in 2006. The training facility is outfitted with a spring floor, tumble track, tumble strip and mat area. There are seven coaches, including Holdridge. One coaches the Dream Makers program, which includes students with and without physical and developmental limitations, teaching them cheerleading fundamentals and fostering friendships and team spirit. Those teams may also compete in local events and participate in Bay State's annual end-of-the-year show for families, friends and the general public.
The center's emphasis is on competitive cheerleading, which mixes cheer, tumbling and dance moves, but it also offers dance classes and competitive dance teams if the students enrolled in any given year want to do that. Many of the cheerleading students also take dance classes.
Bay State's programs are open to students from 5 to 18, both boys and girls. About 100 students participated this past year. A complete list of the classes and programs is available on the center's website, www.baystateallstars.com.
“We also plan to start a “tiny team” this year for children ages 3 to 5. We'se never had a tiny team, but we do have a lot of siblings around and we think there's interest. There is a competitive division for children that age, but we'sl wait and see how that class develops,” Holdridge said.
Competitive cheerleading demands peak physical conditioning and hours of practice each week, all for a 2-1/2-minute performance, and the students who participate develop a strong sense of teamwork and responsibility, he said. Most are on more than one team.
“The kids really have to want to do it,” Holdridge said.
But the rewards are more than a trophy.
“They learn a lot more than cheerleading skills. They learn time management, commitment and how to be a team player. They learn to win and to lose graciously. And they stay fit.
“The kids learn to balance a lot. Most are exceptional students as well as exceptional athletes. We just came back from a Worlds competition in Orlando, and the kids were working on school projects and take-home tests while they were there,” Holdridge said.
Information and registration forms for programs are on the center's website, www.baystateallstars.com, or call 508-845-5678. Bay State is located at 224 Cherry St. off of Rt. 20 in Shrewsbury.
