WHIPPANY, NJ – While the news is centered around a high school cheer program accepting ALL who try out. But what many of you don’t know, Whippany is also the home to the D2 Summit’s smallest team, Cheer Pride All Stars Fab 5. The “5” denotes the number of athletes on the team. That’s right, five athletes.
With just five athletes, this little team has had to push difficulty and technique to the max to come out on top. And their story is a season about grit and determination.
Cheer Pride All Stars, managed and owned by Lisa Kretschman, had some obstacles thrown at the gym last season when athletes left the program for school cheer or other programs. Stated Kretschman, “we had a junior team and a senior team, and I suddenly was left with five athletes. It took me the whole summer to snap out of it because I was so devastated. And then in September, I watched my kids and I thought – ‘they are trained well. They are self-disciplined, coachable, and focused.’ We can do this. We are going to have a memorable season.”
A memorable season is an understatement. With just five athletes participating in every part of the routine, no matter what has been thrown in the way of the Fab 5, they have accepted the challenges head-on. Said Kretschman, “they are average kids. But they are hard working and have a lot of perseverance. Anything you throw at them, they can conquer as a team.”
And all season, The Fab 5 progressed in difficulty and technique. And in the Spring of 2018, Cheer Pride All Stars Fab 5 received a full paid bid to the D2 Summit! Says Krestchman, “our goal is to go down to the D2 Summit, hit our routine, and just really enjoy the experience with the athletes and their parents. It has been a dream.”
Meet the five loyal and determined athletes of Fab 5:
Name: DJ Sperling, 12
“The journey this season on Fab 5 has meant the world to me through hard work and dedication. This season has shown me who my teammates really are and what they want to gain from the sport. My expectations at the D2 Summit are to hit and hopefully make it to Finals. Though my number one goal is to make my Coach Christina Hernandez proud.The biggest lesson I learned this season is:
‘Those who stay…Will be VICTORIOUS’.”
Name: Jennarose Bergamini, 13
“This season means everything to me. I learned that even if it doesn’t seem like it at the beginning, things will work out. My expectations going into the D2 Summit are to hit and make finals. I’ve learned this season that loyalty is the best thing to have and that it pays off.”
Name: Katie Honegger, 16
of us and I love that we are proving people’s expectations wrong. I expect to hit at summit because we all have been working our tushies off for this. I hope we make finals, but we need to hit first. The biggest lesson I learn this season is that an injury is not something that can stop you, that you can always overcome that difficult time and succeed.”
Name: Tatiana Sperling, 11 (little sister of DJ)
This season has meant a lot to me seeing my team do well and I can’t wait to hit at D2 Summit. My expectations are to hit and make finals and see a lot of teams and make all my coaches proud. The biggest lesson that I learned this season is you can anything when you put your mind to it.”
We wish the best of luck to Cheer Pride All Stars Fab 5 at the D2 Summit! You can support Cheer Pride All Stars Fab 5 at Arena South on Saturday at 4:10PM in the Small Senior 2 division.
The D2 Summit is hosted by Varsity All Star at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL.
To learn more about Cheer Pride All Stars, in New Jersey visit them online at www.cheerpridenj.com
