CNY Sunshine Cheer

Story and Photos by Bridget Chavez
Link to Unedited Interview here
Link to Package here

SYRACUSE, N.Y.  -- The sound of rebounding feet springing off the blue floor echoes through the gym as cheerleaders  practice their routines.

Championship banners and inspirational messages with sayings such as, "Follow your dreams," and "You can do it," hang on the walls in the building on the city's North Side.

The one thing that isn't written explicitly, but jumps out at you with every chant, cartwheel, back-handspring and toe-touch, is equity.

"We include everyone," Coach Zoey Smith says.

Getting a chance

Smith and Rachael Brady coach the Sunshine special needs cheerleading team.Its all-inclusive uplifting approach showcases all athletes giving each of them a chance to participate in the sport.

"One, two, three, four," Brady and Smith chant in unison as they lead the team through its warm up.

The team has seven athletes and ten volunteers who help on a regular basis. The volunteers are cheerleaders from the more advanced skill level teams who dedicate a few hours each week to Sunshine.

"It makes me feel like I make a difference," advanced cheerleader Lindsey Condon says. She says she wants to work with kids when she's older so volunteering is a great way to do what she loves and help out.

Meeting the challenge

The volunteers attend practices and assist the athletes during performances. Sunshine has been practicing since September of 2016, preparing for its spring performance.

"We try to challenge them and push them throughout the year to become unassisted and get through the routines by themselves," Smith says.

Some of the athletes require little to no assistance which is the ultimate goal.

Condon has been helping out Bradley for the past six months.

"We always give each other high fives," Condon laughs as she and Bradley clap hands.

"Yeah!" he says excitedly.

Performance Day

On the 23rd of April, teams from across Central New York gathered in the SRC Arena at Onondaga Community College to showcase the results of all of their hard work.

"It's great because I mean even other gyms are so excited for them," Brady says. "And the kids definitely feed off that and they're just so excited to be there."

The arena erupts with applause as the announcer bellows, "Up next, CNY Storm Sunshine!"

For one parent in particular, this performance means more than most.

"We never really know what the next day is going to bring," Rhonda Payne says. "Every time she's up there we just try to relish every second of it."

Her daughter, Caroline has mitochondrial disease and has been cheering at CNY for two years.

"I like doing the stunts!" Caroline exclaims. 

"I cry every time," Payne says, "I cry even just talking about it."

Caroline's sisters also cheer at CNY, making it a family sport they can all enjoy together. At this performance, it's not the scores that matter, it's showing everyone that there's more to cheer about than winning or losing.