Youth cheerleaders finish first in national competition
BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ISELIN GIANTS The Iselin Giants Pee Wee team (ages 9-12) placed first in the National Pop Warner Cheerleading competition in Walt Disney World. This was the team's first trip to the national championships.

WOODBRIDGE- Iselin GiantsMidget Coach Kathy Borowski and PeeWee Coach Doreen Dress are still reeling fromthe firstplace finishes of their teams during theNational Pop Warner Cheerleading competition Dec. 3-7 inWalt DisneyWorld, Orlando, Fla.

"It's very exciting," said Dress, who has been coaching for six years. "Reality has not hit yet … I think we're past surreal … we are just giddy."

For Dress, it was her second time at national championships with her team.

"In 2004, my girls, who were Junior Pee Wees at the time, qualified to go to the national championships, where we placed in the top 10 in the LargeNovice division," she said. "Thiswas the first timewe sent a team to nationals."

The Giants have sent a cheer team to nationals every year since 2004.

"This is the first timewe sent two teams, and the first time we placed first," said Dress.

The Iselin Giants Midget team (ages 12-15) placed first in the National Pop Warner Cheerleading competition Dec. 3-7 in Walt Disney World, Fla. In 2004, the team, who were Junior Pee Wees at the time, qualified to go to the national championships, where they placed in the top 10 in the Large Novice division.

The Iselin Giant Midget team consisted of 19 girls ranging in age from12 to 15, and the PeeWee teamconsisted of 29 girls ranging from 9 to 12 years old.

The teams breezed through the Central Jersey competitions, with the Midget team coming in first place and the PeeWee team coming in third place; the Eastern Region Central Qualifier competition, with the Midgets again coming in first place and the Pee Wee team coming in second place; and the Eastern Region competition, placing in the top two.

For Borowski's girls, it was their first time to the national championships.

"It was always something where we lost by one point that kept us from going to the championships," said Borowski, who has been coaching for 10 years and is the cheer director. "Each team has a motto, and ours was "Believe," and that's what we did."

Borowski said now she can say her team is undefeated, since this year was her last year of coaching the team.

"My daughter is entering high school and my son is a senior in high school, but I will still be a trusteewith the IselinGiants," she said.

Dress said it was beautiful to watch Borowski's Midget team.

"They are phenomenal every single year, and this year watching their routine, it became more and more perfect each time you watched it," she said. "We would bawl our eyes out because it was beautiful to watch."

Dress, whose team has 10 to 12 of the same girls who were on her team in 2004, said their motto was "Heart."

"There is a line in their cheer that says 'Our hearts beat as one,' " said Dress. "I tell them every chance that I get that I truly love themand that they are great and wonderful… the girls fit together."

Pop Warner practice starts on Aug. 1- 10 hours a week during the summer and six hours a week during the school year.

Borowski and Dress said they believe it was the drive and blend of the girls that led them to win the national championships.

"I think it just sparked that they wanted it," said Dress. "I don't think they knew what was to come, but they knew they wanted it, and it was all about believe, believe, believe."

Borowski added that the girls sacrificed teenage parties and gatherings to be at practices.

"They were dedicated," she said.

Dress said this year was the most successful for the Iselin Giants, with five titles under their belt, with not only the Midget and PeeWee Cheer teams, but also PeeWee Football named Central Jersey PopWarner Blue Division,Midget Football Central Jersey Pop Warner Blue Division, and Junior Pee Wee Cheer named Central Jersey Pop Warner Cheer Champions.