The entrance into the Caruso Complex in Grace Hall, located in Bethlehem, Pa. greets the Lehigh cheerleading team on Monday, Oct. 4th before practice. The Lehigh cheerleaders practice in the space that is originally meant for the Lehigh wrestling team. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Lehigh’s Murray H. Goodman Stadium pictured on Sunday Oct. 3rd located in Bethlehem, Pa. is where the cheer team spends many Saturdays. The cheerleaders cheer on Lehigh’s football team through wins and losses. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

The “We Want Champions” banner located in Grace Hall is pictured Monday, Oct. 4th on Lehigh’s Campus in Bethlehem, Pa. This banner stands above the cheer team as they practice to remind the cheerleaders to strive for excellence. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Brooke Bisceglia smiles under her mask in front of Lehigh’s Murray H. Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pa. on Sunday, Oct. 3rd. While the cheerleaders are allowed to practice in person due to COVID-19 restrictions, masks still need to be worn. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Members of Lehigh cheerleading team review motion during practice in Lehigh’s Grace Hall on Monday, Oct. 4th in preparation for their next game. The Lehigh cheerleading team practices Monday and Wednesday nights. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Team member Georgia Kiriakou smiles for the camera while stretching in Grace Hall on Monday, Oct. 4th. Kiriakou joined the team earlier this year and said that it has been the highlight of her semester. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Brooke Bisceglia stands in her Lehigh cheer uniform outside of Lehigh’s Murray H. Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pa. on Sunday, Oct. 3rd with her pompoms. The cheer team recently received these new uniforms. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Brooke Bisceglia performs a pike jump in front of Lehigh’s Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 2. Jumping is a good way for cheerleaders to excite the audience. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

The Lehigh cheerleading team stretches before practice on Monday, Oct. 4th in Bethlehem, Pa. to prepare for stunting. The cheerleaders warm up by doing dynamic stretches. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Brooke Bisceglia ties her cheer shoes on Sunday, Oct. 3rd in Bethlehem, Pa. before practicing cheer jumps on Lehigh’s Mountaintop campus. Bisceglia is the captain of the Lehigh cheerleading team. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Brooke Bisceglia prepares to perform a stunt on Sunday, Oct. 3rd in Bethlehem, Pa. in order to prepare for practice on Monday. Bisceglia is the captain of the cheer team and spends time before practice in preparation. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

Brooke Bisceglia poses in her new cheer uniform in front of Lehigh’s Murray H. Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 2nd before the Lehigh football game. The cheer team has to arrive early to games in order to prepare for a long day of cheering. (J24/Rachel Leidich)

As the Lehigh Community comes back together after a year of being virtual, the Lehigh cheerleading team is taking charge in bringing back school spirit. Captain Brooke Bisceglia leads the team at games but, more importantly, also in a return to normality during practice. During COVID-19 the cheer team was unable to hold practices – something that is extremely important in creating a sense of community among the team. While during games the cheerleaders can show the Lehigh Community all they have to offer, practice is where the team hones in on the skills needed to perform. Bisceglia, a Junior at Lehigh University, holds practices and tries to create a normal environment for the team. Although masks are worn during practice and students are still encouraged to stay distant, this year has shown to have brought the cheerleading team closer together. Focusing on the hard work that the cheerleaders put into fostering spirit encompasses the true activity and importance of the Lehigh cheerleading team. Bisceglia said, “As Lehigh cheers, we understand that we have a responsibility to bring energy to games, and the way we do this is by building a community together as a team.” The way that the Lehigh cheerleading team presents themselves at games and to the public stems from the work they put in behind the scenes. “What people don’t realize is that there are so many things to consider when we are trying to make ourselves put together and in unison, there is a lot of fine-tuning that goes into looking clean and precise at games and that all happens during practice,” said Bisceglia. 

As Lehigh comes back together it is the people in leadership positions that are pushing Lehigh back into a normal year. Lehigh students come from a place of constantly striving to be the best they can be in their studies, athletics, and social life. The Lehigh cheer community is a prime example of all that Lehigh does to create a strong identity and Brooke Bisceglia is an example of how students lead each other and force each other to be better as a team. “All Lehigh students undergo a good amount of stress and we have plentiful other responsibilities, we try to put that aside and enjoy the time that we have together,” said Bisceglia.