By Ken Chaisson
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
Scott McGowan is in his second year as head coach of the Walpole Cheer team, and his leadership has made a noticeable impact. This year, the squad has grown to 29 members, including two boys who cheer at competitions. In 2023, the team had only 15 members, so the roster has doubled under Scott's guidance.
The team competes in four major events starting in October: an invitational, the Bay State Championships, regionals, and all states. In 2022, Walpole’s cheer team qualified for the national championships at Disney World—a testament to their growing success. For each competition, 15 cheerleaders are selected to represent the team.
The squad is led by senior captains Caitlin Beals and Tilla Romano, along with sophomore Lyndsay Joal, who bring leadership and spirit to every performance. Currently, the team cheers exclusively for football, but there are discussions underway to expand their involvement into other high school sports.
While cheerleading doesn’t always get a lot of attention in the sports sections, it’s a recognized scholarship sport at many prestigious colleges, including Stanford, Harvard, and Michigan. Walpole’s team is building a strong foundation, with 51 youth cheerleaders attending the Walpole-Needham football game on October 4, 2024—ensuring a strong pipeline for the future.
Even when the outcome of the game is clear and fans begin leaving, the Walpole cheerleaders keep the energy high, rooting for their fellow athletes with smiles and positivity that are truly infectious.
Walpole’s next competition was the Pink Invitational on October 13, 2024, at Durfee High School.
