Many cheer squads boast a wide variety of teammates. Some cheerleaders are sporty; some like rock music; some are on the debate team. Whatever the differences, one thing unites a team: they’re all cheerleaders. This is the case for four sisters in Long Island, New York. While all different in personality and style, they all love cheer and are on the same school squad! Mackenzie Meyer, 17, and her identical triplet sisters Cassidy, Jillian, and Alexa (16 years old), are four of the 24 varsity cheerleaders at Seaford High School. All sisters look alike and are hard to tell apart at first, especially in their cheer uniform! The girls have different class schedules, different interests, and even different hair dryers, but they all have loved cheerleading for years. This is the first season all four sisters have been on the same team together. Mackenzie, in true big sister form, is one of the squad captains, and the other three sisters are all back spots. Reported by the Long Island Newsday, Jillian said of the situation, “it’s one of the coolest things we could have imagined. We’ve always been cheerleaders, but the four of us being on a team is kind of surreal.” Even cooler? Their mother, Carolyn, was a cheerleader herself during her school days (and is now a cheer parent!). With the cheerleading gene still in her, she signed her daughters up for cheerleading when they were five years old. Alexa told the newspaper that cheerleading “came pretty naturally” and they’ve been cheering ever since. Carolyn says that, while most cheer teams say they’re not just a team but also a family, she and her daughters say the reverse: they’re not just a family, they’re also a team. The Meyers sisters aren’t the only family members on the same team. The squad includes another set of sisters, Emily and Anna Gagliano, and a set of cousins, Paige and Melissa Franco! Luckily for the team, the Meyers sisters rarely argue and aren’t competitive with one another. Perhaps that’s because each sister has different cheer skills and her own strength. Coach Lisa Ferrari told the newspaper that, while Alexa is the most acrobatic, Jillian is the most athletic, Cassidy is the best dancer, and Mackenzie is the most fluid. Each of their strengths has made them great cheerleaders and all of them have received All-America honors after a Universal Cheerleading Association camp this past summer. While they may share a love of cheer, they all have different, bright futures ahead of them. As a senior, Mackenzie is planning on studying biology and medicine in college. Though not yet ready to apply for college, Jillian already knows she wants to study neuroscience and Alexa plans on studying journalism. Meanwhile, Cassidy is keeping her options open. For now, the girls’ and their team’s focus is the upcoming competition season. Last year they finished in 10th place at nationals and are hoping to improve their placement. We always love seeing stories about teams with family members! If you’re on the same team as your sibling, or you’re on the team that includes siblings, check out our free downloadable eBook on handling the sibling factor. It includes great tip and advice! News Source: Long Island Newsday Have you ever been on a team with siblings? Do you have a sibling who is also a cheerleader? Share your story below!
Four Sisters, Four Cheerleaders, One Cheer Squad!
