Being captain of the MHS cheer team takes more than just pom poms and a loud voice: it requires leadership, authority, and the ability to inspire both teammates and audiences.
Isabella Truong, the senior cheer captain for Malden High School, is known not only for her support but also good spirit and the way she maintains a positive vibe. Having been on the cheerleading team since her freshman year, Truong worked her way up from not being a cheerleader at all to being the respected captain she is today.
Senior captain Samara Valencia Perez has also been a dedicated cheerleader on the MHS cheerleading team. Her involvement began in the winter season of sophomore year. Perez has made an impact on the team as a leader who leads by example. Perez is known for her passionate dancing skills and ability to perform difficult stunts with precision.
Both Truong and Perez exemplify what it means to be a cheer captain. They are not only athletes, but leaders, mentors, and role models for the other cheerleaders. “They are so supportive with everything and so good at breaking things down when things become confusing,” said sophomore cheerleader Carolina Rosa De Oliveira.
“The team is just a positive space, we want to represent the school in a good way and show there are good things to look forward to,” Truong explained. With many changes this season regarding new coaches and captains, both Truong and Perez want their teammates to feel comfortable both during and outside of cheer practices and games, creating a personal friendship with the girls. “They bring us together as a team, makes us feel like family, almost like togetherness,” Rosa De Oliveira expressed. Perez added that “we want the girls to have a safe place to be and have fun and not just a place they have to be.”
Even when the team experiences conflict, Truong and Perez can maintain a comforting space for the girls to turn to. “They promote communication and encourage us to talk through anything if there are any problems,” stated junior cheerleader Taliyah Lauture.
As they prepare to graduate, their teammates will continue to thrive with the impact their captains made on the team, who have inspired them to step up, work hard, and maintain the effort they have made this season.
