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02/14/2018 11:00 PMJunior Alyssa Cariglio came back to the Branford cheerleading team in grand fashion this season by earning All-Southern Connecticut (SCC) honors for the second time in her career.
Alyssa was an All-SCC cheerleader as a freshman, before taking a one-year hiatus from the sport last winter. Alyssa took the year off to improve upon her studies and, after doing that, she returned to the Hornets this season and has made a major impact on the team. Alyssa earned her second All-Conference nod when Branford competed in the Co-ed Division at the SCC Championship on Feb. 3.
“It was so exciting. I didn’t think I’d be one since I just joined,” says Alyssa of being an All-SCC Team member. “When I won, it was such a big accomplishment.”
Even though Alyssa isn’t a captain for Branford, she still takes it upon herself to lead her fellow cheerleaders. Head Coach Melissa Mansi appreciates what Alyssa brings to the team in that regard, along with the intensity she displays when it’s time to perform.
“She’s an awesome competitor. She only expects the best out of herself, which is a great example for the other kids on the team. She really does lead by example. The other kids want to follow her,” Mansi says. “She knows what it takes to be successful. One of the things she said to the team in November was that she wasn’t just here to cheer, but to win. She wanted to be a part of the team and wanted to push us all the way. She’s an all-or-nothing type of athlete, and it’s very contagious.”
Alyssa didn’t have any cheerleading experience prior to joining the team at Branford High School. However, Alyssa says she was able to catch on quickly because of her experience stunting on the trampoline as a kid.
“I used to live in Wallingford, and my neighbor had a trampoline, so we taught ourselves how to flip around. I had never done [cheerleading] before, but I knew how to flip around,” says Alyssa. “When I joined, I was kind of nervous because there are a bunch of different aspects other than tumbling. I had to get the hang pretty quick, so it wasn’t bad.”
When Alyssa first gave cheerleading a try, she found that she liked the competitive aspect of the sport the most. Alyssa got used to competing in the Hornets’ routines by performing during halftime at Branford’s basketball games.
“My friends said I could still try out and join and told the coach about me, so I joined for the winter season,” Alyssa says. “I like it because of competition season. I didn’t know what it was going to be like as a cheerleader, but we did the basketball games, so I got into those.”
Alyssa has seen her role change with the cheer team over time. She was a flyer as a freshman, however, Alyssa is now primarily a base who catches the flyers.
“I was a flyer when I first got there because I was small, so I just went with that. When new freshmen came in, I learned I’m not a bad base at all, so I kept practicing that. Overall, I became a permanent base,” says Alyssa. “I’m only a flyer for basket tosses. That’s when there are two bases that link up and I stand on their hands and they toss me up. I do a trick, usually a kick single, and spin back down to them.”
Alyssa feels ecstatic to be back on the mat at Branford this year. She says it took a little while to get reacquainted with the team and her abilities, but now, Alyssa feels right at home with the Hornets.
“It was such a good feeling to get back to it. After the break, I had to work on my skills. I was rusty after the break and wasn’t landing everything I could,” says Alyssa. “While in training, I built that endurance again and finally pulled it together for my team.”