Pont Strong Displayed Herself as Dynamic Captain for Branford Cheer
One of the programs on the rise in the competitive cheerleading world in the Southern Connecticut Conference after this past winter was the Branford cheerleading team. A focal point of the Hornets’ upward trend has been the passion and dedication of Zu Zu Pont Strong for both the mat and her entire squad.
The junior Branford captain grew up in a sporty family and did soccer growing up before entering cheerleading as a second grader. She then became more involved with it competitively–including seeing a trip to nationals in fifth grade.
Following a brief hiatus from cheer, Zu Zu returned to the fold with the Hornets as a freshman. Working her way up to a captain’s appointment this past year, she helped lead the Hornets to a benchmark campaign that included a third-place showing at the SCC Championships before coming in fifth at states.
“I love having my coaches and teammates there to encourage me to help me succeed. I could not have gained the skills I have without them. The coaches are always pushing us to our greatest potential,” says Zu Zu. “It is such a mental sport, and it is stressful because it all comes down to a two-and-a-half minute performance. I struggled with mental blocks in tumbling, but I learned about balance and taking it one thing at a time. The encouragement from everyone led to me landing tumbling skills. It is all about figuring out what works for you.”
While Zu Zu honestly admits her favorite pastime within the sport is not to tumble, she has taken it upon herself to improve in that department. She additionally expanded her avenues and stepped outside of her comfort zone to help fortify the Hornets’ pyramid this campaign.
“I love stunting, and with tumbling, I like it, but it is not my favorite,” says Zu Zu. “I also had to learn a new position after we had an injury and be a back for our pyramid. I learned that coming into something with an open mind is the only way to do it. We also did things like competing in inversion with a partner stunt, and doing things like that bring me so much joy and remind me why I love this sport. I got over my mental blocks, and I want to keep that up going into my senior year while giving it my all.”
With the upperclassmen ranks lacking some depth in her prior seasons, Zu Zu knew she had to assume a stewardship persona from the get-go. She knew that being officially sworn in as a captain this year, Zu Zu had to exhibit leadership not only through her supportive words, but also her courageous actions and efforts.
“I thought I would be a captain, and I stepped into more of a leadership role last year after we had no juniors,” Zu Zu says. “We had a lot of growth last year, and then this year, I could feel the change and how much we wanted it. We had close to half the team being incoming freshmen, so making that welcoming atmosphere was big. I enjoy being captain because I like knowing the team can count on me. They also watched me push myself, which was important to show the younger girls while doing it with a smile and continuing to encourage them.”
The Hornets had signs this competitive campaign would be a strong one after a perfect preseason camp showing. Through all the ups and downs, including a sizable loss when senior captain Danielle Jones suffered an early season injury, Zu Zu and the girls persisted through any and all internal and external pressures.
“One of our goals this year was to place at both SCCs and states. We had six All-American athletes, including myself, coming into the year, and we had a really successful camp last summer,” says Zu Zu. “We were nervous before our first competition of the season, but we hit all of our stunts and won. It was such a confidence booster with receiving that affirmation. It helped us to keep pushing ourselves. We lost Danielle to injury, but everyone stepped up and I could not be more proud. We put pressure on ourselves, plus the pressure of SCCs itself, so to finish third was the best feeling.”
Zu Zu is shown as a template for what tenacity and determination can accomplish. Per Branford Head Coach Rachael Sawicki, she certainly strengthened her repertoire and inspired her teammates in the process.
“Zu Zu showcased significant personal growth this season with her tumbling skills. The past couple of seasons, Zu Zu has battled mental blocks while attempting her standing tuck without a coach standing nearby. However, through consistent hard work every practice and countless repetitions to build her confidence, she made a breakthrough,” says Sawicki. “Towards the end of the season, she confidently executed her tuck independently at practices and competitions without needing a coach nearby. Her teammates observed her tenacity and persistence throughout the season as she overcame this obstacle; she is an incredible model of determination and dedication. She has proved through her individual growth and leadership on the team that if you consistently put the work in and don’t give up, you will get the results!”
Branford continued its surge of confidence and swagger right into states and ended the year on a high note. Based on this newfound level of prominence, coupled with the synergy of the squad, Zu Zu and the girls are ready to push to even greater heights next season.
“We put out a great performance at states with our highest score of the year, prior to topping that at our final competition of the year,” Zu Zu says. “The bonding was really great and helped us this year, and I feel so proud of this team. The goal was to push ourselves, and our work ethic was incredible. I look forward to next year. With the growth we have experienced, we have a good shot next year in the competitive season.”