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Cherish your bonds.
Making people smile
Aiming to become a cheerleader

College of Arts and Sciences Third-year students
Cheerleading Club Captain Bass
Graduate of Tokyo Metropolitan Yukigaya High School

Rika Hoshino

Main content

Driven by a frustrating experience in high school, she joined the cheerleading club at Obirin University.

I started cheerleading in April of my first year of high school. I was inspired to join the cheerleading club after seeing their sparkling smiles during their freshman welcome performance. I think it was a great experience to dedicate myself to it and even serve as the club president. I was really conflicted about whether to continue cheerleading in college. However, I couldn't forget that I couldn't give my best performance at my last high school competition due to an injury, and I decided to join the club because I felt I hadn't fully committed to cheerleading yet.
 
J. F. Oberlin University 's cheerleading club has close distances between seniors and juniors, creating an environment where everyone can share their opinions regardless of grade. I used my dance experience to think about choreography with seniors and to share opinions about acting, and I think the club's atmosphere was able to listen carefully to the opinions of the underclassmen. At the Kanto Tournament and Japan Cup, where I participated at the time, I achieved an excellent result, placing third nationwide in both tournaments. Student-led activities can be challenging, but I find them rewarding.

Cheerleading is more than just technique. What I discovered through practice.

As a second-year student, I participated in last year's Japan Cup as captain for the first time, competing in the cheerleading spirits division, which consists solely of flat-area routines. Many of our members, including myself, felt insecure about flat-area routines such as tumbling, but we saw it as an opportunity to overcome our weaknesses and worked hard in practice. As each member's skills improved through practice, one of the members confided in me, saying, "I lack confidence and can't smile during the routine." I was surprised to hear this, as I felt that our practice had paid off, but I told them, "You're doing a great job. There's no need to be anxious." That was my honest feeling, but I think it was good that I was able to empathize with the members' anxieties and encourage them. The members' expressions brightened, and we were able to achieve a 4th place finish in the nation at the competition.
 
Consulting with someone isn't anything special, but being able to practice without anxiety and with a positive mindset leads to improved skills. As captain, I want to continue to value daily communication so that I can support all the team members and alleviate any anxieties they may have.

Through hard work and kindness, he will become a reliable captain.

This year, the goal is to finish in the top three at the Kanto tournament in May and advance to the finals in the top 7 at the Japan Cup in August. To deliver powerful performances characteristic of J. F. Oberlin University, members exchange opinions and pursue the beauty of techniques down to the smallest details. I am the captain, but my skills are still lacking. We will hone our skills so that we can contribute more to the team, and work to inspire the members who see this as well.
 
In addition to high-level practice, we also want to value creating a warm team atmosphere. Because you're serious, the atmosphere can sometimes get tense, but you can't make the audience smile with acting you can't enjoy. I want to be a reliable captain who gives me the courage to take on challenges through daily conversations and can talk about my worries and dissatisfactions. The appeal of the J. F. Oberlin University Cheerleading Club lies in an environment where opinions can be exchanged regardless of grade level, and strong teamwork. I want to devote myself to daily practice aiming for performances that make both viewers and members smile.

Interview date:
This was done in April 2022 for the "Obirin Sports" website.

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