Jr. Midgets to compete for nat'l title in Disney
Pop Warner squad victorious at Eastern Regional competition
BY BRIAN DONAHUE
Staff Writer

PHOTOSBY SCOTT PILLING staff Top: Members of the Morgan Parlin Panthers practice their routine Tuesday night at Head Over Heels Gymnastics, Bordentown Avenue. At right: Kristen Fitzsimmons, 13, is held up by her Junior Midget teammates during practice on Tuesday. The group will head to Disney World to compete for the national title. Bottom: Janee Carrow, 12, and the rest of the Panthers get some air time.

SAYREVILLE - The Morgan Parlin Panthers have something new to cheer for: They've made history.

The group of 20 cheerleaders on the Junior Midget squad, all 12 and 13 years old, will compete for the national Pop Warner cheerleading title in Walt Disney World, marking the first time a Sayreville squad has made it so far.

The chance at the national title was earned during the Nov. 18 regional competition held at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton. There, the Panthers were successful in numerous competitions and were named one of the Top 2 teams in the Eastern Region, which includes New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware.

In December, the Panthers will head to Orlando, Fla., where the team finishing with the highest score will take home the title.

The squad came off a 2005 season in which it finished fifth at Regionals, just short of winning a bid to head to Nationals.

"It was a new experience last year making it to Regionals, and while the girls did their best, we did have some minor mistakes," said head coach Bev Fitzsimmons. "However, it gave the girls the opportunity to see what it takes to move on to compete for a national title."

The core group of girls returned this year, along with a few new members that have never cheered before. They knew the hard work and dedication required to get to Nationals.

"At that level all of the teams are great and even the littlest mistakes can cost you," Fitzsimmons said.

The girls have not had an easy season, as they had to adapt to injuries only days before the state qualifier, and then again before the regional qualifier. On short notice, they were asked to move to new positions so that the routine would work.

"Not once did they complain. They just did what was asked of them and made it work. They are a very dedicated group of girls who have given everything they can to go to Nationals," the coach said. "Now they have an opportunity at a national title. No matter how they finish, it is an amazing achievement to get this far."

The squad has been practicing six hours a week on the routine, which is two-and-a-half minutes and consists of basic cheer skills along with tumbling, dance and stunting.

The cheerleaders do not have an indoor facility, but have received help from the borough in securing space at school gyms. And though the parents chipped in to rent space at Head Over Heels Gymnastics, Bordentown Avenue, availability at the various locations has meant that parents must often get their daughters to practice on very short notice.

The chance to compete in Disney made it all worth it.

"I'm really excited," said Junior Midget Kaitlyn Passaretti. "We all worked so hard to win this competition and be able to represent Sayreville at Nationals in Disney."

Teammate Megan McDonough is excited about the record achievement.

"I am thrilled that my team's hard work has brought us to be the first Parlin-Sayreville team to go to the Disney National Championships, and I can't wait to get to Disney World," she said.

The squad also consists of Sam Amato, Fitore Blata, Jillian Buckalew, Janee Carrow, Paige Chrzaszcz, Kristen Fitzsimmons, Katelynn Gonzalez, Vivian Gonzalez, Alisha Hendricks, Heather Keith, Kristina Lisa, Amanda Martin, Alyssa McCormick, Krystal Pearson, Samantha Perez, Lauren Todd, Michaela Williamson and Tori Yates.

Assistant coaches are Mary Pearson and Marie Lisa; Kerry Fitzsimmons is junior coach, and Gabrielle Giordano is student demonstrator.

Anyone wishing to donate funds to defer the cost of the Disney trip can send checks to Morgan Parlin Panthers, P.O. Box 9, Parlin, NJ 08859.