ALEJANDRA ALARCON/Coachella Uninc
THERMAL — The Coachella Valley High School (CVHS) cheer team is set to perform at the 2014 Pro Bowl this weekend, but they still need community support to pay for travel to Hawaii, where the National Football League holds its all-star game every year.
“Aside from all our practice, it took all of us coming together as a whole,” Justine Torres, CVHS senior and co-cheer captain. “It took a lot of dedication, hard work and really pushing each other to not give up. That’s what got us here.”
The Pro Bowl will take place Sunday, January 26, at Aloha Stadium.
Coming from an underrepresented community and high school with not many resources, it is essential for students, family, and the community to come together.
“Because of where I come from – even though it’s so isolated, not like other schools such as Palm Springs or La Quinta – this opportunity means a lot to me,” Torres said. “It shows that even though we come from a different type of community, we’re still able to show people we have talent and we’re hard working and really represent our community well.”
Unfortunately, not all CVHS cheerleaders will perform. Twenty cheerleaders were selected based on their financial commitment.
Excited local residents have been helping the team raise funds for the trip, many of whom attended a fundraiser last week at Sol Sports Restaurant in Coachella.
“For the first time in the history of Coachella Valley Arabs, we got the opportunity to send our girls to the Pro Bowl. I don’t think there’s any cheer squad in the Coachella Valley that can say they have been invited to the Pro Bowl,” said Steven Hernandez, Coachella city council member.
Read more at Coachella Unincorporated