SEASON-SAVERS SEEK THE SAME: CSI CHEERLEADERS WOULD LOVE THE CHANCE TO SHOWCASE

4/3/2020 11:00:00 AM

In early January, when activity at the College of Staten Island during winter break was rather subdued, a collection of CSI Cheerleaders, regulars in the Student-Athlete Lounge located within the Sports & Recreation Center, just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Injuries, academics, and a few second thoughts left Andrew Gangemi, newly-appointed Men’s & Women’s Track and Field Head Coach located just a few doors down, in a bind, specifically an incomplete Women’s Track & Field Indoor roster, and relatively no chance to meet sport sponsorship minimums. In year one of NCAA Division II provisional status, the shortcoming could have proven disastrous. Enter Associate Director of Athletics Erin Van Nostrand, who, located between the lounge and Gangemi’s office, formally introduced the giddy group to a new sport, and a chance to save a season. They accepted.

"I was surprised, to be honest, that they were so willing to help. To step up and enter into an atmosphere they’ve never known before was really encouraging,” said Gangemi. “They were truly fearless. They showed up, asked what needed to be done and went off and got started. It showed me that they have a deep competitive side. Track meets are tough. Performing in front of a thousand people is not easy. They never flinched.”

Mainstays in the Student Lounge, the Cheerleaders here prep for a basketball game day

The Cheerleaders in question were Stacy Peralta, Kiara Caesar, Aurora Haxhari, Melissa Silverman, Paige Montijo and Malay’Ja Heard, six selfless and athletic student-athletes ready to wade through uncharted waters. Added to another addition, women’s soccer graduated senior Rebecca D’Aloia, the group lent itself to a strong and committed core of female harriers and throwers that formed a motley crew focused on making CSI a formidable side in their first NCAA Division II go-around.

"It was really interesting,” Gangemi said about the makeup of the roster. “When you have a mix like that you have different goals and a lot of different jumping-off points. The focus becomes to make sure everyone is comfortable with where they are and focusing on their individual goals. As coaches, we had to be creative in making sure we put a lot of energy into all the athletes and making sure we were using them to assist others as well.”

They were truly fearless. They showed up, asked what needed to be done and went off and got started. It showed me that they have a deep competitive side. Track meets are tough. Performing in front of a thousand people is not easy. They never flinched.

Head Coach Andrew Gangemi on the Cheerleading contingent

While the cheerleaders are quick to deflect, often calling their participation in the sport “no big deal,” the transition they made and the willingness to assist was remarkable. It was not, however, surprising, even for those that remained in the shadows thanks to their own winter seasons, like Men’s Basketball Head Coach T.J. Tibbs and Women’s Basketball Head Coach Nicole Sarcone, two coaches who gain the direct assistance of the cheerleaders every year.

“I’m not surprised at all because it’s the epitome of who they are,” said Tibbs. “They are already an integral part of our basketball program, controlling the game experience and in my three years here they have been a part of our biggest fan base as supporters. It goes unnoticed to a lot of people but when you see how hard they work it’s no wonder how much success they have on the mat and how it translated to a sport like track. I was very proud of them.”

Paige Montijo was a constant on the basketball sidelines all year, as were the others who ran track.

Sarcone agreed. “The cheer coaching staff and members of the team show up to every basketball home game and do a phenomenal job of supporting their fellow athletes, engaging the crowd and creating an exciting environment. The energy level in the gym is raised simply by their presence,” she said. "While it may seem surprising to someone on the outside looking in, it is no surprise at all to the members of our department that they agreed to run track. They always give a great deal to the department.”

Sure, cheerleaders love to support, but there was certainly some trepidation with joining the team, they said. The new call to action, however, was something they admit was intriguing from the start, and oddly fascinating in some ways.

"At first I thought having Cheer and Track would be too much,” said Peralta, who gravitated to the Cheer team just this year based on her roots in dance. “But we all decided that if we were going to do it, we would do it together and I personally felt like it was a good opportunity to experience a sport I never have before. I felt like it was something I could do.”

Cheer Story - Web Edit - Peralta Running

Stacy Peralta went from dance to cheer to indoor track in less than a year, and says running has opened up a whole new world to her. (Photo Credit: Denis Gostev)

“In my head I was thinking, why are they asking cheerleaders? I was always the person to say why would anyone want to run for fun?” said Silverman, who ended up saying yes because she ultimately wanted the challenge of something new while giving the experienced team a chance to meet sport sponsorship numbers. “I thought it would be easy,” she stated, “but my thoughts on that completely changed after my first race.”

"Never did I think I would be running track,” said Caesar who agreed to run after getting a convincing phone call from Peralta. “We start most of our cheer practices with runs and they kill me,” she says with a laugh. “But we knew this could help the track team so we figured, what’s the harm?”

We start most of our cheer practices with runs and they kill me, but we knew this could help the track team so we figured, what’s the harm?

Kiara Caesar on her decision to join the Indoor Track team

So then the roster, a mosaic of seasoned veterans and novices as green as the synthetic turf at some indoor facilities, made it through the season, in quite exceptional fashion too (more on that later), but the roller-coaster ride was nothing compared to the present day, clouded in the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the group of cheerleaders in particular, March 13 proved fateful. A couple of days beforehand, the CUNYAC made the decision to postpone the Cheerleading Championship and then they canceled the spring season altogether, the same day that the annual Championship was originally scheduled at York College, and with it, a chance for CSI to repeat as champions. It put to an abrupt halt the culmination of over five months of agonizing training to a routine they felt was worthy of a repeat, a two-minute showcase on a mat they called home for hours at a time. They lay now in waiting, some looking for a miracle save to their season.

"We had been practicing since October with that date in mind,” said Haxhari, “It was heartbreaking for all of us. We all knew it was for a good reason, but it still hurt. Not being able to finish what we started is unsettling.”

Silverman thought the postponement could be beneficial for CSI which was still working feverishly on their routine, but once the cancellation happened, it was tough news to bear. “After going through everything my team went through this season it was hard to hear that the one time we could perform and show everyone what we can do was getting canceled. Our coaches really believed in us and we were looking forward to bringing home that third consecutive championship.”

Not just at the College of Staten Island, Cheerleading is often the forgotten sport on a lot of campuses. The NCAA does not officially sponsor the sport, and with no recognized NCAA national championship, the collection of CSI cheerleaders see the CUNYAC Championship as their defining moment. The sport mirrors Men’s & Women’s Basketball in terms of playing and practice season, commencing try-outs and early practices in mid-October, painstakingly working towards perfection in the Sports & Recreation Center’s Racquetball Courts and when possible, the gyms they share with their peers in the months leading up to mid-March. The basketball games are their chance to perfect synchronization in cheer and energize the game day experience, but often times after the games, which are often doubleheaders, the collection of student-athletes roll out the mats and get to the real work. Their payoff is their two-plus minutes of fame when it all counts this time of year, many times well after the basketball season is over.

“It takes a special kid to do it and to stay committed to cheerleading,” said Kristie Perrotta, who is finalizing her third year as CSI’s Cheerleading Coach. “Because we don’t have NCAA limitations with playing and practice seasons, it gives us the autonomy to spread our work out and it takes a great deal of focus and commitment. We train so long and so hard for such a short payoff and so there is a lot of disappointment when it got taken away.”

Cheer Story - Web Edit - Takes a Special Group

"It takes a special kid to commit to cheerleading," said Head Coach Kristie Perrotta, whose team often takes on more than just cheering at CSI events.

It makes the tales of Peralta, Caesar, Haxhari, Silverman, Montijo, and Heard that much more impressive. During the crux of the indoor season, Peralta’s day was often composed of classes, strength and conditioning work to prepare for track meets, comprehensive cheer practice, more classwork, on some nights basketball games, and if lucky, eight hours of sleep simply to give herself enough energy to do it all over again. On weekends, she was awake long before the sun was, prepping for her track & field meet.

“Most days I had classes early and couldn’t train with the track team so I would do so on my own or with Gavin (Strength Coach Gavin Ingster) during my breaks,” said Peralta. “Tuesday’s and Thursday’s were three-hour Cheer practices from 7-10 PM, all the while trying to eat healthy so that I could make myself better for race day. I knew if I was going to do this, I wanted to do it the right way.”

Caesar shared similar sentiments. “We practically live at CSI,” she said. “When we had breaks, we found a little time to run to try and get ourselves ready. We were really nervous and had a few mental breakdowns juggling both seasons. Some days we had a meet in the morning and then basketball games later to cheer at and it was exhausting. I learned to rely on my Google calendar and my organizational skills to keep moving.”

Train for the Pain: A lot of private strength and conditioning work for the Cheerleaders resulted in some tiring race days.

D’Aloia, another two-sport star who at least saw the end of one season before jumping into another, knows that what the cheerleaders were doing was nothing short of amazing.

“It was great what the cheerleaders did,” explained D’Aloia. “They stepped out of their comfort zone to participate in a sport they had little experience in. It takes a lot of courage to do that and shows how devoted and willing they were to help out. I was so happy to go through this experience with them. It really helped to have others there who were also new and just as nervous as I was. CSI is a family and we are always willing to help and be there for each other.”

Perhaps of all of the 11th-hour “recruits” that Track & Field solicited, D’Aloia was the most seasoned. Already known for blazing speed on the soccer pitch, D’Aloia had plenty of high school track experience and seemed unfazed by the transition. Her first two weeks in uniform, she was named the CUNYAC Rookie of the Week, something that makes her giggle knowing she’s nearing graduation. As remarkable a career as she has had, she admits that she was looking forward to the outdoor portion of the Track season.

“Never would I have thought that in my senior year of college, after playing four years of soccer, that I would be awarded Rookie of the Week for Track,” she said. “I was told many times that I should join track. Unfortunately, I doubted myself and didn’t think I would be able to keep up at the college level. I was really looking forward to outdoor season. I was making good progress in the sport and I also became really good friends with a lot of people from the team and they all are super friendly. Being on the team has been a great experience and it’s upsetting that it had to end like that.”

D’Aloia knows she couldn’t have done it alone. She credits the coaching staff for really making the transition a seamless one, for her and the cheerleaders.

Cheer Story - Web Edit - Daloia Running2

D'Aloia had a sensational indoor season after a four-year career in Women's Soccer

“The coaching staff was amazing,” she said. “They were all very welcoming and accommodating and understanding of the situation we were in. Every member of the coaching staff is super dedicated to the team and would go above and beyond. Because of them I not only enjoyed the season but had great accomplishments, taking second-place at the CUNYAC Championships in the 60-meter. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

And perhaps lost in the fold is Gangemi and his staff. The mild-mannered skipper was a summer addition to the staff, tasked as the Athletic program’s Manager of Athletic Operations along with head coach of six sports that operate essentially year-round (Gangemi is also the Head Coach for Cross-Country in the fall). He admits to feeling the squeeze from the women’s indoor program, which turned over a fair number of athletes from a year ago, its first as a varsity sport. He wrestled with trying to operate his program at the high level he aspires for it while making it accommodating to his newest additions.

The coaching staff was amazing. They were all very welcoming and accommodating and understanding of the situation we were in. Every member of the coaching staff is super dedicated to the team and would go above and beyond.

Rebecca D'Aloia on her impressions of the Track & Field coaching staff

"It’s a balance,” said Gangemi. “We are obviously here to run a serious program and to make sure we are a well-oiled machine on race day. This year, it meant a lot of hands-on coaching, being very meticulous, coaching right up until the start line. We depended a lot on our upperclassmen and leaders to do that as well. We were scrambling at times, but I think the entire coaching staff and team did a really good job bringing it all together.”

With that said, Gangemi was impressed with the group of Cheerleaders, and Peralta in particular, who, like D'Aloia, had agreed to continue the transition to the outdoor season, and earnestly wanted to improve and increase her racing acumen and productivity. For Gangemi, it not only showed the dedication inherent in so many CSI student-athletes, but a chance to help them build on the foundation they set during indoor season. He says that all of the cheerleading contingent has a future on the roster if they want it, even as the program builds with their first official recruiting cycle taking place over the summer.

Caesar, Peralta, Montijo, and Haxhari embraced their new roles on the track

"We talk a lot about building a culture here and a big part of that culture is just being open and willing to get better through commitment, and I think the cheerleaders really identified with that. They wanted to do well,” said the coach. “We will always have open arms to any student-athlete who shows that level of commitment. I was thrilled to have them.”

“That makes me really happy,” said Peralta. “I was nervous about the experience, but I got a lot of support, and I said to myself, ‘I can do this. I can be better.’ I’m giving a lot of consideration to running in the future. It was so nice to hear the cheers of the team and the coaches and it was a great experience.”

Top left: Malay'Ja Heard and Paige Montijo in one of their first races. Top right: Aurora Haxhari and Melissa Silverman display their strengths at Ocean Breeze Track and Field Complex. Bottom: Kiara Caesar showcases her speed in the 60-meter Dash.

And so why wouldn’t Gangemi be excited about the future? In danger of not having the merits to even field an indoor team in 2019-20, his women’s team set nine new school records this season, including a gold medal at the CUNYAC Championships. Of the new benchmarks, the school’s 4x200 relay record, set by Cheer trio Haxhari, Silverman and Montijo, combined with D’Aloia, setting the record at 2:19.22. The record was set at Ocean Breeze Track & Field Complex in Staten Island at the Invitational hosted by St. Thomas Aquinas College, Gangemi’s alma mater and CSI’s soon-to-be ECC rival. For Gangemi, it was nice for the group to have that moment.

"That was pretty awesome because it was actually one of their first races too,” said Gangemi. “We were so excited to see them compete and support them. I’m telling you I was choked up a little when they went out there because they literally jumped right in with no fear and did their job. It was really inspiring.”

“It was a cool feeling knowing that I was able to accomplish this not knowing what I was getting myself into,” said Silverman on gaining the record. “The only time I ever really ran was when I played flag football in high school. Being able to help a team and set a record makes me feel very good.”

The CSI foursome that set the record in the 4x200, composed of three cheerleaders and D'Aloia

I’m telling you I was choked up a little when they went out there because they literally jumped right in with no fear and did their job. It was really inspiring.

Andrew Gangemi on how the new track athletes set the record in the 4x200

Now official record-holders and being one of the first core of athletes to actually compete in a Division II postseason championship, the CSI cheerleaders are looking to still tidy up their business in Division III as part of the CUNYAC Championship. It was supposed to be CSI’s final CUNYAC postseason appearance in the school’s history. The team knows there are in a unique situation. Unlike the other spring sports, the Cheerleaders only need to hold out hope that the COVID-19 pandemic passes over long enough for the conference to open up shop for one final day of competition, reserved for the handful of CUNYAC institutions to showcase at the Cheerleading Championship. They don’t care if that one day comes deeper into the summer months, either.

"If there was a possibility of a rescheduling, it would make me, and my teammates, more than happy. For now, we don’t know what to expect with everything that is going on, but I know we would all be 100 percent in it to have our chance to finish the season,” said Haxhari.

“We worked really hard and we had a lot thrown at us so when we were told about the decision it certainly makes you feel bad,” Caesar explained. “If we are told that we are back on, we’ll be right out there again. Until then we will just keep pushing.”

Of course, the hope is tempered. Paralleled next to what is happening in their community, the collection of cheerleaders understand there are larger issues at play. One of the most engaged and energetic units within that same community, Perrotta knows her troops are ailing in more ways than one these days.

The Cheer crew is known for their community involvement on top of their day-to-day at CSI

"It’s difficult to see what is happening and it’s very natural for our team to want to get out there and do what we can to spread...cheer, specifically during a time like this,” Perrotta tells. “I think we are trying to hold on to the little things and trying to keeps our heads high and smiling.”

“We hate to see what is going on in the community right now, but we know there are just some things that are beyond our control and we have to make do with what we have,” said Haxhari. “Our coaches have been there for us, offering emotional support, help with online classes, and just reaching out to check in on how we are doing. We have been finding new ways to cope, just as everyone else has been doing.”

CSI hosted the Catholic High School Cheer teams before they headed to Nationals in February

Of course, if and when they do get on the mat, there will be some undoubted rust that will show. For a group that practices and perfects a routine in large spaces for many hours a week, even trying to keep busy during this time, working out privately, can’t substitute for the time the team is spending social-distancing.

"It definitely means a loss of skill for us,” says Perrotta. “Our sport is a little different than other sports in that respect. A runner never forgets how to run. Their times might suffer but with things like stunting and tumbling, if we are not doing the total body workouts and working together as a group, we will simply lose that skill. We are doing all we can virtually with workouts, but really, how much can we really do, especially with respect to our championship routine?”

“The routine that we had took a lot of practice, hard work, and repetition,” affirmed Haxhari. “Coming back after months of not practicing would be really tough, but I can speak for myself and my teammates that we would be more than ready for the challenge and the opportunity.”

The long layoff will not prevent the Cheer team from being hopeful about the future. Many of them know their routines will never be perfect, but for them, participation is the key. And for the many, the chance to collect hardware is inconsequential.

"As a team, we still communicate and talk all of the time,” said Peralta. “It’s a defeating feeling to not have had the chance to compete, but it’s going to be a good feeling when we do come back together, competitively or not. I think it will make us stronger than before.”

“We’ve always maintained that our team is a family,” said Perrotta. “And when you’re separated from your family, it hurts, and you begin to miss the laughter and the companionship. I felt like in the days leading up to the Cheerleading Championship we were in a really good place with that family bond, and I think what we want to get back to most to is that, just being together laughing and talking about the future and ending on a high note.”

If Cheer does not get the assist they need, a collection of them will take solace in their activity with Track & Field. While many hardly felt in their element, they did value the hard work associated with being an NCAA Division II athlete, and gained respect for their colleagues across the tables. In turn, they’ve gotten a few more head nods in the Student-Athlete Lounge these days from other athletes.

“I definitely gained a lot more respect for these athletes,” said Silverman. “It’s not as easy as it looks and track athletes put a lot of time and dedication into this sport. As a cheerleader, I think we gained a lot more respect after coming in and helping a team out. This gave us a chance to prove we are athletes and are capable of doing a lot more than how other athletes may see us.”

“I used to think running was boring,” admitted Peralta, “but I realized there is a whole new world to running out there and I was impressed by it. It’s pushed me to be better, and I am really proud of what I accomplished and I know my track teammates were too. I have a lot of respect for it.”

I used to think running was boring, but I realized there is a whole new world to running out there and I was impressed by it. It’s pushed me to be better, and I am really proud of what I accomplished and I know my track teammates were too.

Cheerleader Stacy Peralta, who was anxious to start outdoor season

For now, while the facilities at CSI are closed, staffers ponder whether the Cheerleaders will do another go-around with the running contingent. If they don’t, their presence on this year’s indoor side may be a forgotten footnote in history. Insiders, however, will long remember how a sport like cheerleading may have well saved provision year one of NCAA Division II membership.

“It’s a good feeling,” tells Caesar. “I love everyone in the Athletics department, and doing this to help the program and the track team was worth it. There’s a lot of love and respect between the teams because we are all doing what we love to do.”

When the time is right, CSI Cheer will get back to doing what they love the most too.

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