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Watkins Glen flyer Micaela Simpson soars in two practice routines.

Up in the Air ...

...and back again, on the wings of ''commitment, friendship and teamwork''

WATKINS GLEN, Jan. 4 -- The t-shirt worn by one of the Watkins Glen High School cheerleaders at a recent practice carried these words: Athletes lift weights. Cheerleaders lift athletes.

That's a cute saying, and one with some truth to it.

Cheerleading does require strength ... and athleticism, and gymnastic ability, and nerve, and something that goes beyond camaraderie -- to the essence of trust itself.

You know the old trust routine. Have a friend stand behind you as you fall backward into his or her arms. If you do fall backward, you are invested in that person, in loyalty, in trust.

Now multiply that several times. You are being held aloft by your feet and ankles by a quartet of teammates below. You bend your legs and they bend theirs, and in tandem you all thrust upward, sending you soaring above. You then do various maneuvers -- twists and turns in midair in the ensuing seconds -- and fall toward those same teammates, whose arms are outstretched, awaiting your return. It is their job to not just catch you, but to cushion you.

If you do that -- allow yourself that kind of airborne freedom with an assumption of a happy landing -- then you have entered the ATZ ... the Absolute Trust Zone.

****

Cheerleaders often argue that what they do is a sport. There has been lobbying to get it designated as such in New York State, but to no avail.

This is not a forum promoting that cause or disputing it. This is a forum to say that of all the athletic pursuits in a school, cheerleading is perhaps -- is probably -- the most demanding.

The Watkins Glen cheerleading squads -- varsity and junior varsity -- are hard at it again this season, preparing for a season of competitions. They will, along the way, play host once again to the annual IAC Championships in the WGHS Field House gym.

And at the helm of the varsity, as she has been for the past half-dozen years, is WGHS teacher Marcy Estey.

Says Craig Cheplick -- the man who used to run the district athletic programs and oversee the Field House where the cheerleaders practice and perform: "Coach Estey built this program from the ground up. She is a great coach who holds the kids accountable both in cheerleading and in the classroom. The competitive fire shown by her teams comes directly from her."

Estey, a woman whose slight build belies that drive, coached junior varsity for one year before taking over the reins of the varsity. This is her seventh year in that latter role -- and it is one she wears well, judging from a recent practice.

There was an easy-going atmosphere at that practice, fueled by the laid-back nature of the coach. But behind that ease was a work ethic that the girls of the two squads -- varsity and JV -- clearly embraced. They practiced tumbling, practiced step routines, practiced timing, practiced sending their flyers skyward and catching them, and on this night were practicing an intricate maneuver involving three flyers, with the middle one rotating from the left flyer to the right, slowly rising and sinking, rising and sinking, compliments of some precision maneuvering by the cheerleaders holding her aloft.

The middle flyer, eighth grader Micaela Simpson, fell from her perch several times, only to be cushioned as she descended. Then she would get right back up again.

When the maneuver was finally done flawlessly, there was a cheer among the cheerleaders ... smiles all around ... and then they tried it again. And among the successes were, once again, temporary setbacks.

Says senior Shelby Olafson, who has been a Watkins Glen cheerleader for six years: "There is a lot of falling and getting back up in cheerleading, and some bruises."

*****

Estey has, as Cheplick said, built this program from the dust, and with significant success. As she describes it:

"We have won Interscholastic Athletic Conference Championships twice -- in 2005 and 2009, the latter as grand champ. And we won the IAC's 2009 traveling sportsmanship award. Last year we were Class C State champs at Utica, and we won the sportsmanship award there in 2008 and best choreography in 2010."

The junior varsity has also experienced measurable success under the leadership of Jackie Bubb, who was Estey's assistant for one year before becoming JV coach three years ago. The JV squad has won the IAC junior varsity title all three years, and one year won the sportsmanship honor, too.

******

Estey was asked why cheerleading poses such an attraction to her, given its inherent difficulty.

"Speaking on behalf of myself and Jackie," she responded, "we coach because we love the sport. We believe in teaching these girls not only the different aspects of cheerleading, but also about leadership, commitment, friendship and teamwork.

"Other sports have all season to prove themselves. These girls have 2 minutes and 30 seconds to prove themselves out on the floor! There is no individual that can carry the team; they must work together in order to succeed. Anyone who knows us knows that we are very supportive; we believe in these girls.

"Many people think cheerleading isn't a sport. Why? Because it has not been classified as one by the state. If people would just watch and see what these girls do, they would understand why Jackie and I fight for these girls and our sport. At times the work seems overwhelming -- choreographing, teaching, then trying to get the routine together, and at the level we expect. But when you see the smiles on the girls' faces when they run off the floor because they hit their stunt or tumbling, and when they hear the roar of our fans -- nothing could ever replace that feeling of gratitude we get! That is why we are coaches!"

From the athletes' perspective, the words are similar, though the viewpoint differs.

The aforementioned Olafson, who is pursuing both cheerleading and indoor track this winter -- possible because cheerleading is not designated a sport -- says the time on the mat "is fun ... it's challenging. There are a number of different things to do: tumbling, stunting, and ... well ... cheering."

Olafson appreciates that spirit from the perspective of an athlete. She is a state-level High Jumper who holds the school record in that event, and has been The Odessa File Schuyler Spring MVP for three straight years.

It is that success in the world of track that remains her priority, but she says cheerleading holds a special place in her competitive heart. "I love it," she says.

Kendra Shaw, another senior, is one of the team's flyers -- the most experienced one, now that she is in her fourth season, all on the varsity.

When asked why she is one of those seemingly fearless, soaring souls, she smiled. "I've always been a flyer," she said, "because of my size." Alongside some of the younger kids -- in particular the relatively tiny 8th grader, Micaela Simpson -- Shaw looks large, but perspective can be misleading. Any observer talking to her one-on-one can see that she is of a delicate physical nature.

But behind the delicacy is fire. Shaw has a ready smile, a competitive tool that she is able to flash at a moment's notice, in the heat of competition, from atop those teammates who form her base during routines. When pressure comes to bear and the judges and fans are watching, cheerleaders get even tougher ... somehow manage to smile.

The smile misdirects; shields the truth of the hard work. You see fewer smiles -- you see determination -- in the faces at practice. In Shaw's case, she is all business during the hours of preparation. She is very serious, as are her teammates -- until they perform one of their maneuvers with perfection, or something close to it. Then the smiles are present again.

Cheerleading, Shaw said, "has become a passion. I work really hard to try to improve. We have to practice and practice, like with that (rotating) stunt (involving the three flyers). It's different from other sports. We all have to work together all the time."

Is there personal satisfaction derived from all the hard work?

"What we get," said Shaw, "is team fulfillment."

******

Sport or not, the cheerleading teams have been honored on these pages. After both the JV and varsity won IAC titles in 2009, all the members of the two squads were named Athletes of the Week.

Nobody argued.

And now, the IACs are approaching again, on February 5. The cheerleaders are hard at work three times a week -- from afternoon into the evening -- working on the basics, working on new routines, working on choreography that they hope will amount to perfection when it comes time to take to the mats for the league competition.

They have, as in any year, other competitions on the schedule, too. They will visit Bradford on Jan. 15 and Arkport on Jan. 22, go back to the Utica competition right after the IACs, and compete at Elmira College on Feb 27.

These are challenges they have met with success before, and look forward to meeting again. If nerve and athleticism and dedication and love of their craft mean anything, they will do well again.

The team rosters:

Varsity Cheerleaders:

Meg Bartow-Cannon -- 12th grade
Lydia Biever -- 11th grade
LynnAnn Caslin -- 8th grade
Maria Chavez -- 11th grade
Brianna Davis -- 10th grade
Ashlee Hill -- 10th grade
Catarina Hong -- 12th grade
Taylor Hughey -- 9th grade
Meredith Johnson -- 11th grade
Noelle Johnson -- 7th grade
Chelsea Maceda -- 11th grade
Marissa Meehan -- 11th grade
Brendon Monteiro --12th grade
Shelby Olafson -- 12th grade
Kendra Shaw -- 12th grade
Micaela Simpson -- 8th grade
A.J. White -- 10th grade
Alex Young -- 12th grade

JV Cheerleaders:

Tiazza Bascom -- 7th grade
Collette Bradshaw --7th grade
Amanda Cherock -- 7th grade
Kiera Cooley -- 9th grade
Rachel Dewitt -- 11th grade
Brittany Kelly --10th grade
Haley Kelly -- 8th grade
Chelsea Loughlin -- 9th grade
Skyler Mann -- 7th grade
Dana Paradiso -- 7th grade
Sarah Payne -- 7th grade
Abi Rundle -- 8th grade
Alisa Schmidt -- 10th grade
Vennessa Spangenburg -- 10th grade
Trista Teed -- 8th grade
Corinna Wolcox -- 10th grade
Desiree Wood -- 7th grade

Photos in text:

From top: Varsity Coach Marcy Estey, left, instructs an aerial team; flyer Kendra Shaw; Coach Estey makes a point; 7th grader Noelle Johnson warms up; the game-day performances include blue-and-white uniforms (here worn by Taylor Hughey); LynnAnn Caslin descends toward waiting arms; a mishap during practice during a difficult, rotating routine; sisters Meredith (left) and Noelle Johnson; JV flyer Dana Paradiso is caught by her teammates.

Junior Varsity Coach Jackie Bubb addresses her squad during practice.

Left: LynnAnn Caslin. Right: Not every landing in practice is a smooth one.

Micaela Simpson, left, and Taylor Hughey work on their difficult rotation routine.

Cheerleader Meredith Johnson pays close attention as Coach Estey explains a maneuver.

The T-shirt delivers a message.

Coach Estey goes over a routine with (clockwise from left) Maria Chavez, Meg Bartow-Cannon, Kendra Shaw and Brendon Monteiro.

Success at last: Flyers (from left) Kendra Shaw, Micaela Simpson and Taylor Hughey celebrate completion of a difficult rotation routine.

The cheerleaders wait for the boys varsity basketball team to emerge from the inflatable tunnel used for entrances at home games. This is a view from inside the tunnel.

The varsity cheerleaders perform while the boys basketball team goes through its pre-game warmups.