Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept-Oct 2018

40 www.VoteBestOfMP.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ClemsonCarolinaTickets.com feature difference is the style of stunting. Over the years, there have been many changes to the structure of the program, but one thing that has stayed consistent is the passion and love for Clemson the athletes demonstrate year after year,” explained Head Coach Tori Polsinello. Polsinello, leading the team since October 2012, has roots in cheer. She attended the University of Albany in New York, where she cheered all four years, then proceeded to coach at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania and later at the University of Arizona from 2009 to 2012. “In college, I was an instructor for the National Cheerleaders Association, worked with many local high school teams doing choreography and coached at a local high school. I really enjoyed my college cheerleading experience. Our program grew tremendously over my four years, and I was very interested in coaching at the college level to help provide a great experience for other student athletes,” she elaborated. The team remains competitive and refines the program each year based on experience from the year before. Strength, new skills and charisma are three things the squad constantly strives to attain. “We constantly work to attain new skills and find different ways to get the crowd involved at games. … Our strength and conditioning program has changed over the years. We didn’t always have access to the training room, so we are grateful for that resource and take our 6 a.m. workouts seriously,” she said. While most of us bask in the last few weeks of our summer break, the Clemson team reports about two weeks early to start practice and workout sessions, as well as welcome new team members. The team also attends camp to learn the most recent stunting techniques and new game-day material. All the training is critical because the team competes every year at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College National Competition. “This is the one event we get to showcase the athleticism that comes along with the game-day side of cheerleading,” Polsinello explained. “Our division is very competitive, and, although competition isn’t our main focus throughout the year, preparing for the competition – held in April – helps us improve our skills as a program and bond even more as a team.” Aside from games – cheering at home and away football games, home volleyball games and home men’s and women’s basketball games – the team performs at Tigerama, the homecoming pep rally, and also at the many welcome-back events on campus and at schools and retirement homes in the fall. Clemson Head Coach Tori Polsinello surrounded by members of the squad.