The music blasts through the gym as the EHHS Pom Team takes the floor. Their movements are sharp and in sync as the crowd starts to cheer. This season, the team isn’t just performing at hockey games, they’re also stepping into the competitive spotlight. With new coaching and new goals, this year marks a very important chapter for the program.
The EHHS Pom Team, which has existed for around 30 years, currently has 18 members. About 15 of these girls take part in the competitions. Led by captain Diana Melnyk and coached by Lena Onofrio and Samantha Schlottman, the team performs at all of the home games and most of the away games throughout the hockey season. At the
hockey games, the team’s role goes far beyond dancing on the sidelines.
Their goal during games is to cheer on the hockey team, get the crowd going, and to keep energy high for both players and fans. The crowd typically responds by cheering along with them, showing how much spirit the team brings to the rink. The farthest the team has traveled for a hockey game this year was Norwich, demonstrating their commitment to supporting EHHS athletics. As sophomore team member Alexa D’Amato explained, “We’re very committed to the hockey team. We make posters, we do scrapbooks, and we cheer them on at the games as they go through the season.”
This year, however, the team is pushing themselves even further by competing in the hip hop dance division. The first competition took place at Fairfield Warde High School in February, in which the team placed 7th. The next and final competition, which was the state competition, took place at Farmington High School in March, when the team came in 6th. Preparing for these competitions takes a different level of focus.
Although the team is pretty much done with practicing now, they used to practice at least two times a week for two hours, dedicating extra time to perfecting technique and synchronization. Competition differs from game performances because the stress level is much higher for the girls. Their routine this year had some cool features, with senior Ava DiNola pulling out some of her old tricks as a retired gymnast. The music and choreography were chosen by both coaches. “Competing is a surreal experience. It feels really cool to be out on the gym floor making history as your school’s first hip hop competition team. To be able to throw this all together within the short time period we had was a great opportunity that I was happy to be a part of,” said junior Mia Vitello, a team member, about the experience of competing.
Learning routines takes time, patience, and teamwork. Practices typically involved stretching, going over the dance in counts, running it with the music, and having the coaches break things down. Many say what makes this year different from last year is the new coaching. When asked how she felt about her new coaching position, Coach Lena Onofrio stated, “It’s been good. This is my first time coaching, so it was definitely a lot to learn, but I do enjoy coaching the girls. They’re a great group of girls.”
For many team members, joining Pom was about more than just dance. Sophomore team member Alexandra Esposito said, “I joined the team to make new friends and to have something to do, and my favorite part is being with the boys at the games and cheering them on.” Representing EHHS means so much to them, and competition has changed the team by bringing them closer together. Captain Diana Melnyk has played an important role in leading the team through these changes. She has guided her teammates through the path of success.
Coach Lena says she is most proud of how the team really came together later in the season and how they have accomplished so much. She said, “We made history by doing hip hop in a competition for the first time in East Haven history, and we did really well.” As the hockey season finishes off, the team hopes students will come out to watch and support them. “We’re representing the school and it’s nice for the girls to have fellow classmates there to support not only the hockey team, but the Pom Pom girls too,” Coach Lena said when asked why students should attend their performances.
With energy on the sidelines and determination on the competition floor, the EHHS Pom team is proving that they are more than just some cheerleaders for the hockey team, they are a growing program committed to spirit, teamwork, and representing their school with pride.
