The Marco Island Academy 2025-2026 winter cheerleading season is coming up very soon! Coach Gutwerk, one of the coaches of the cheerleading team, stated that they will be cheering for both the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. The MIA cheerleaders are involved in numerous community events this season, such as the Christmas Tree lighting at Veterans Park on December 6th and the Christmas parade on December 13th.

At the start of the season, there will be practice three times a week. The team will be working hard and putting in hours to make sure their routines are perfect in time for the parade, tree lighting, and other performances. Working on dances, jumps, stunts, and full-on routines is a key part of cheerleading that takes discipline and resilience.

Once the basketball games gear up, practice will go down to one or two days a week, sometimes fluctuating depending on how many games are being played every week. Coach Gutwerk listed her goals for this season, which are to create an environment that’s fun to be a part of while promoting school spirit and developing a positive and close relationship with her athletes.

Coach Gutwerk has been alongside the cheerleaders at MIA for about three years, but in general, she’s been coaching since 1995, almost 30 years. Her favorite part of coaching winter cheer is performing in community events, stating, “A lot of people on Marco don’t see what we do. Many don’t go to the basketball games and don’t have an idea of what the MIA cheerleaders do, but when they do get to see us, it’s a different light. It’s a great representation of the school and the program.” The entire team gives back to the community and is involved in school activities, bringing their positivity and spirit everywhere they go.

Tryouts were held on Monday, November 4th and Tuesday, November 5th, where the girls learned a dance, a cheer, and the technique required to stunt. Every girl who tried out made it on the team, showing growth and hard work in those short two days. Congratulations to the four captains of this season: Alina Nguyen, Lily Chiscavage, Bianca Fernandes, and Jenna Snover. Good luck to all who are trying out. Everyone is looking forward to an amazing season. Go Rays!