Cheer squad performs at UCLA halftime show

Yellowjackets join cheer teams from across Southern California to show spirit in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

Denise Diaz, Special to the Pepper Bough|September 19, 2022

The Colton Cheer Team took part in a Spirit Day at the UCLA football game against South Alabama on September 17.

My Experience at UCLA by Denise Lupian

My experience at UCLA was one of the best experiences I have had in my junior year.

It was a very cold morning when I arrived at UCLA but had exciting vibes circling me. We started to practice with the USA staff and go over how we were going to perform at the Rose Bowl. That took about 3 hours.

Once we arrived at the stadium, I was nervous and wanted to throw up. I was scared of performing in front of a stadium filled with many people. I would have to say my worst fear was about messing up while performing.

My fear went away after practicing in my seat and going over every motion there was.

Around 2nd quarter they walked every cheerleader that was in the stands down to the field to get ready to perform. As I was walking down, the nerves started to kick in again. I could hear my heart beating because I was in my head to much. I was forgetting the motions and wanting to go back to the stands because I did not want to do it.

Finally I got it together and was ready to perform. I rallied onto the field and didn’t think about anything but the dance.

I danced like no one was watching and kept going. Once the performance was over, I cheered, and all around me you could hear the crowd happily cheering all of us, and you could hear the excitement in the cheerleaders for doing something we didn’t think we could ever do.

I was happy and grateful for getting to experience this it was my favorite memory so far for my junior year and I would love to do it again next year.

Pasadena, CA—After cheering on the Colton football team Friday night, Colton Cheer had an early morning arrival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to participate in the UCLA football game halftime show.

The event was hosted by Varsity Spirit, the most prominent cheer organization in the world, as part of their Spirit Days program. Similar events were also held at college football games across the country on Saturday.

For many on the squad, it was the biggest event they had ever performed at. Freshman Yesenia Nuñez expressed, “This is my first year as a JV cheerleader and we haven’t cheered at any games yet, so this is a new thing for me. Now I can see what a real game is—maybe when I get older I can be a cheerleader like this!”

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, UCLA’s week 3 game against South Alabama was themed “The Los Bruins Game.” UCLA also featured Mariachi de Uclatán, a student music group sponsored by UCLA’s department of ethnomusicology, who played alongside the school’s marching band.

Both Varsity and JV teams arrived at 6 in the morning at the Brookside Park baseball fields near the Rose Bowl to begin early rehearsals. The cheerleaders lined up alongside many other schools, ranging from as far as Mayfair High School in Lakewood to as close as San Bernardino High School.

The teams truly got the full experience from eating tailgate food to yelling UCLA chants during the first quarter while awaiting their performance. Many of the cheerleaders were mesmerized by the UCLA and South Alabama cheerleaders more than the actual game! Junior and second year cheerleader Johanna Ruiz said, “Their confidence and tricks just took my attention away.”

A game, however, was played. UCLA defeated South Alabama 32-31 in a nailbiter to go 3-0 on their 2022 college football season.

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