Mia Morelli— Mustangs Ahead
(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) — From June 2-5, the Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS) Mini Mustang Cheer Camp brought together energetic and excited students from first through eighth grades to learn new and familiar cheer skills.
The camp was hosted by the Mustang cheerleaders and offered a hands-on introduction to cheerleading fundamentals while teaching spirit.
Freshman Ansley Elwell stated, “I enjoyed getting to work with all the little kids. It was a lot of fun teaching them all the skills I’ve also been learning.”
Adding to the fun was the daily Spirit Week theme for each day of camp. Students dressed in various themes such as Taylor Swift-inspired outfits, 80s attire, favorite football team gear and wacky socks. On the final day, every camper wore their official camp t-shirt to perform.
This year’s camp was divided into four main skill stations: Sign Work, Cheer/Band Dance, Stunting, and Tumbling. Campers rotated through each station during the week, learning different techniques and building their routines for final performances at the end of camp.
First, at the Sign Workstation, campers learned how to hold, flip, and move cheer signs. Depending on their group, some even created their own choreographed sign motions to add to their routines.
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In Cheer/Band Dance station, staff members taught sideline cheer favorites like “Mustangs Cheer” or “Attack, Push ’Em Back” before transitioning into a pre-choreographed two eight-count dance to the song “Lip Gloss” by Lil Mama. The cheer and dance were later combined into the final performance that everyone was looking forward to.
The Stunting station challenged campers with skills matched to their experience levels. Younger groups practiced knee sits, preps, and shoulder sits, while older or more advanced groups worked on extensions, liberties (“libs”), and switch-ups.
At Tumbling, participants started stretching before splitting into directed lines to practice tumbling techniques. For the younger groups, this meant perfecting somersaults and bridges; for others, it meant working toward more advanced skills.
The week concluded with Final Performance Day at the LRHS football stadium. Family and friends gathered in the stands as each grade-level group performed its full routine—a mix of the skills they had learned during the week. Each performance lasted around five minutes or less.
Mini Mustang Cheer Camp 2025 was more than just a summer activity; it was a week focused on teamwork and skill-building.