In any high school field house or gymnasium, one will certainly find trophy cases. Large, illuminated walls and shelves, encapsulating the triumphant victories of various sports and providing a great beacon of pride for the school and those involved. 

Brookfield East, with countless sports programs, is not an exception. Cases are decked with many immense accomplishments of our historical football and basketball teams. They are sure to impress visitors and alumni alike!

But what about other sports? Sure, football games are a blast and basketball games are loads of fun, but there’s another sport that contributes to those atmospheres as well: a loud, spirited, encouraging sport that is present, not only on the sidelines, but on nine blue mats as well. The Brookfield East Cheerleading team is in great need of a trophy case, and has been for quite some time. 

At the beginning of each school year, the cheerleaders are some of the first faces that many students see as they walk in the front doors, spiriting and cheering, despite it being 7:30 in the morning. At every school assembly, the Cheer squad puts on amazing performances full of acrobatic tumbling and human pyramids, putting the ‘pep’ in pep rallies.

The Brookfield East cheerleaders represent BEHS proudly, not only through their blue uniforms with Brookfield East across the front, but also through their commitment to excellence and embodiment of the Spartan spirit.

“Our cheerleaders are the face of Brookfield East” says Mr. Westphal, the Head of Brookfield East Athletics. “They bring home awards and deserve the recognition for their hard work”. 

Indeed, the cheer team is one of the more advanced teams in the state of Wisconsin in both the Small and Super Small divisions. When it comes to stunt difficulty, tumbling and general execution, the Brookfield East cheer team is at the top of their game. 

Brookfield East cheer is a well-established program that, on top of school isolated functions, also contributes to community related events. They perform in the Elm Grove Memorial Day Parade every Summer, representing the school alongside the Brookfield East Band and Brookfield East Spartanettes. They also host Kid’s Clinics in efforts to encourage younger kids to pursue cheer in their futures. 

Additionally, the Brookfield East Cheer team also volunteers at the Lions Club Corn Roast at State Fair each Summer, shucking corn and helping customers to show support of their local community.

Enhancing the atmosphere of football games, cheerleaders are active on the sidelines, cheering on the team, directing chants, and entertaining the crowd in between plays. When football season draws to a close, and the basketball players begin suiting up, the cheerleaders are always ready and waiting to cheer  them on the court and impress viewers with their stunts and tumbling. Cheerleaders compete for the love of their sport and the pride in their school.

If throwing girls in the air and doing flips on hard ground wasn’t enough, our cheerleaders perform each Saturday at competitions throughout the winter season as well. The Brookfield East Varsity team recently performed at their State Competition and placed second overall with a near flawless routine. In fact, they have placed in every single competition this season. A tremendous feat! 

The Brookfield East Cheer team is extremely competitive and fights hard to bring home plenty of medals and trophies in the name of their school. Despite being a very strong and accomplished team, dozens of first and second place trophies remain hidden away in the athletic cage behind the girls locker room, and are often thrown away after years of disuse.

Instead of collecting dust, these awards will hopefully be able to be on full display in the Brookfield East fieldhouse in a brand new trophy case. Cheerleaders are currently working with Principal Farley and Mr. Westphal to fundraise for the case, organize its construction and make plans for its future content. 

It is important to show support and respect for others and their accomplishments, so it is very exciting to get this opportunity to showcase them. With enough support from students, staff and families, the Cheer team can be the first of many smaller sports to receive proper recognition for their hard work and dedication.