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03/02/2022 11:00 PMIf you’ve watched a North Haven cheerleading performance over the past four years, you’ve seen Maxine Samperi flying through the air. There were times when Maxine’s wings were clipped during her time in North Haven, but she always got back up and is now soaring as a captain for the Nighthawks in her senior season.
Maxine’s interest in cheerleading initially came from her mother Andrea. A 1989 graduate of North Haven High School, Andrea was a cheerleader and also served as a captain on her team. Maxine wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and, eventually, the shoe was an exact fit.
“My mom cheered when she was in high school. It inspired me to do what she did,” says Maxine. “She was a captain. I’m the captain now, and it was a real honor. A lot of my passion came from her doing cheer when she was in school.”
Maxine started cheering in North Haven’s youth program in 2nd grade and continued through her 8th-grade season. In 7th and 8th grade, Maxine joined the North Haven Middle School team, marking the first time that she competed. After getting her first taste of competition, Maxine realized how passionate she was about cheerleading.
“I started middle school cheerleading in 7th grade. That’s when it really clicked for me,” Maxine says. “I was on the competition team, and I had never competed before. I had always done sideline cheerleading. Once I started competing, I realized that cheerleading was what I wanted to do.”
While her passion had started to spark, Maxine hit her first roadblock in 8th grade, when she suffered a labral tear in her hip, resulting in surgery and four months of rehabilitation. Upon returning, Maxine broke her left arm just before varsity tryouts as a freshman. She made the team and competed with a cast on the entire season. One year later, in 2019, Maxine was forced to get another hip surgery that would also sideline her.
Despite breaking an arm and undergoing surgery on both hips, Maxine refused to quit. As she watched her teammates practice without her, Maxine was determined to get back on the floor.
“It was hard seeing everyone doing what I wanted to do,” says Maxine. “It motivated me to come back.”
During her first season at North Haven, Maxine was the only freshman on the competition team. It was an eye-opening experience for Maxine. That year, North Haven won both the SCC title and the Class L state title. Even more than winning the trophies, Maxine says the journey that North Haven went on that season helped her feel more confident as she continued through the program.
“It was a really big jump from middle school cheer, but it was really good for me. I got a sense of pride,” Maxine says. “I was the only freshman my freshman year. It was hard in the beginning. I didn’t know all the older girls. Winning brought us together. Not just winning—it was being with the team, improving every week, and improving together.”
Maxine’s confidence has only grown during her four years with the North Haven cheer squad. After being a shy freshman, Maxine says that she’s now more outgoing and has broken out of her shell. As a flyer, a high level of confidence is something Maxine has needed throughout the past four years. Maxine knows that the crowd is watching her, and understands that she always needs to perform to the best of her abilities for her teammates.
“It’s so cool to get to see everything from a different perspective. When you’re on the sidelines at football games, basketball games, or even at competitions, you’re the one thing people see,” says Maxine. “You’re what everything looks at. It’s a lot of responsibility, but I love flying. It was definitely meant for me.”
Head Coach Kathleen Crisafi has seen Maxine persevere through injuries to compete for her team. Crisafi feels proud that Maxine has become a true leader for the Nighthawks and an athlete who everyone in the program admires.
“Maxine is the epitome of a team player. Everything she does is for the benefit of the team. She is an ultimate performer. The team would not be where they are today without her,” Crisafi says. “Maxine now leads this team as a senior with compassion, determination, and fire. As a coaching staff, we are grateful to have someone with Maxine’s maturity in a leadership role. She will be greatly missed.”
When she was a freshman, Maxine looked up to Abby Haggerty, who was a captain at the time. Maxine says that Haggerty always pushed her to be her best. Now a senior, Maxine is the one who’s setting an example for her teammates after being named a competition captain alongside fellow senior Isabella Izzo.
“I really love to motivate my team, because I know I loved being motivated,” says Maxine. “I was really honored. People know how much this means to me and what I’ve been through. It was a really good accomplishment.”
After graduation, Maxine will attend Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, where she will pursue a degree in criminal justice. Maxine also intends to continue cheering in college.
While she got into the sport due to her mother’s influence, Maxine is carving her own legacy in the North Haven cheerleading program. Despite all setbacks she’s had to battle through, Maxine always feels honored to fly with the Nighthawks.
“I’ve always been honored to cheer for North Haven. We have amazing coaches. It’s an honor to be a part of the team and be a captain on the team,” Maxine says. “North Haven cheer is a big source of pride for me. I really love cheerleading.”