A trip to Florida proved to be successful for Bethel Park High School’s competitive cheer squad.

A sendoff event for the team scored a win of another kind.

Bethel Park advanced to the final round of the National Universal Cheerleaders Association Cheer Championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando as the only team in its division from Pennsylvania to make it that far.

The weekend before the Feb. 10-12 competition, well-wishers gathered at the high school to see the students perform while helping their neighbors by bringing donations for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

“They need our help more than ever,” Kym Gable, mother of competitive squad member Merris, said. “A lot of folks think, oh, food insecurity isn’t a problem here in the South Hills. I will tell you that it absolutely is, and we have expressed to the food bank that we want to keep all of your donations, food and money, here in the South Hills.”

Lending a hand is nothing new for the squad.

“During their time here, many of them for four years, our cheerleaders have found ways to give back to our community,” Gable said, citing assistance for causes such as the Joey Fabus Childhood Cancer Foundation, Bethel Park Family Relief Fund and Special Olympics, along with the students conducting cheer camps for youngsters.

Leading the squad is Victoria Magnotti, who took over in midseason as one of the youngest coaches in the WPIAL. She was a cheerleader for the Black Hawks prior to graduating from Bethel Park High School in 2018.

Magnotti explained that Bethel Park would be competing against 36 teams in a category called Small Division I Non-Tumbling Game Day Varsity, with four sections to the cheerleaders’ performances: band dance, regular cheer, fight song and either offense or defense.

Along with the team members showing their skills during the sendoff, fathers of team members were invited to participate in a competitive “jump-off,” attempting to replicate what was demonstrated by one of the cheerleaders. The proverbial good time was had by all.

For more information about the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, visit pittsburghfoodbank.org.

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