Every Friday night, just before kickoff, Morgan cheerleaders huddle together on the track in a tight circle. This is not a final strategy session; it’s a ceremony. There, the captains announce who from the team has shown a special dedication and pride for cheer that week. Then the fun happens,  a captain hands off a stuffed husky named Luna to the nominee. The husky, whoever it is given to, sits in front of the cheerleader during the game, as a sign of their hard work and dedication, until the game is over, when she is returned back to the captains for the next game. 

This tradition started two years ago with a suggestion from the team, said previous head coach Tina Messercola. 

“This tradition was not created by me; it was actually an idea by two senior captains at the time, and they wanted a way to recognize everyone’s hard work on an individual level, so they came to me with the idea of honoring individuals for their accomplishments throughout practices,” Messercola said.

Tina Messercola was the coach of the Morgan cheerleading team last year, but resigned at the beginning of this year due to issues around practice times and her tight work schedule, after hearing an idea from senior captains.

Head coach, Megan Trippconey, loves the tradition and feels that it’s an honor to carry on this tradition. “I love the tradition because it brings all my cheerleaders joy when they receive the husky”.

Despite the change in head coach, the tradition stayed. Senior Reagan Bushnell has been a part of the cheerleading team for three years, and she loves this ongoing tradition. “I feel like it brings the team closer and helps us bond, like each individual; and it gives each person a reason to try their best each week, and it helps the team to have a reason to work hard,” Bushnell shared.

There were many different ideas for the representation of the husky during the planning process. Messercola said, “I gave them the idea of the golden pom-poms, but at the time we didn’t have golden pom-poms, and they wanted the captains at the time to meet and get more focused on what they wanted, and so it made sense to the team. So together the three of us collaborated and came up with the husky.”

Senior captain, Destiny Speece, said the tradition has made an impact on this year’s team. “The cheerleaders love this tradition, and we hope to keep this tradition going,” Speece said.

“This team has gotten a lot closer with this tradition, and we’ve received a very positive outlook on our team since we started our tradition.” Speece said. This tradition is hoped to be continued throughout the years.

“The husky symbolizes personal achievement and determination,” said Bushnell. “The reason behind this cheer is to have everyone participate and work for the Husky throughout the entire week.”