National Cheerleading Champions — Wow!

Just when you think our Winthrop High athletes couldn’t achieve any more this winter, with the girls basketball team reaching the Garden and the hockey team winning the Northeastern Conference title,  along comes the WHS varsity cheerleading to cap off the season with a national championship.

It’s a credit to head coach Rachel Mustone and her cheerleaders for reaching this amazing level of excellence with their skills and teamwork. Cheerleading today is a serious athletic endeavor involving long hours of practice and you have to possess athleticism in a number of areas, including gymnastics and dance, to contribute to the overall executions of routines. The cheerleading program has advanced steadily under the leadership of Mustone, who was a Winthrop cheerleader herself just a few years ago. The qualities that she has instilled in these girls — and the dedication to the team concept that the girls themselves demonstrated — is to be admired and appreciated by all. The exceptional leadership by the seniors also set the foundation to this remarkable season that culminated in being the best in their division in the United States.

What great memories these cheerleaders will take with them when they graduate from Winthrop High School. They’ll remember that their hard work paid off — and the craziness of trying to return to Boston after winning the title. They’ll remember how their coach, Rachel Mustone, believed in them from Day 1, and they’ll remember the incredible support they received from the school administration, headed by Supt. of Schools John Macero, who traveled to South Carolina, to witness first-hand their national championship achievement.

We join the town of Winthrop in congratulating our high school cheerleading squad on their national championship.