PASCACK VALLEY—Cardinal Youth Cheerleading is opening registration for the 2025 season, and organizers hope a look back at the program’s unforgettable 2024 finale will help spark new interest.
The program’s Mighty Mite, Pee/Wee, Junior, and Senior teams closed out last fall by cheering on the field at MetLife Stadium—an exciting moment for the young athletes and their families.
“The girls had a great time, and it was such a special way to end the season,” said organizer Judie Gargano.
Cardinal Youth Cheerleading is part of the Bergen County Junior Football League (BCJFL), which includes Cresskill, Garfield, Glen Ridge, Hillsdale, Montville, New Milford, Northern Valley/Old Tappan, Norwood, Park Ridge, River Vale, Tenafly, Waldwick & Westwood.
It’s open to athletes entering grades 2–8 this September who live in Westwood or the Township of Washington.
In-person registration takes place at the Westwood Community Center, 55 Jefferson Ave., on Wednesday, May 7, and Monday, May 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This season, there is no online registration option.
The registration fee is $175 for second grade (Mighty Mite level) and $200 for grades 3 through 8 (Pee/Wee, Junior, and Senior levels). Non-Westwood residents will pay an additional $25, and a $50 sibling discount will apply. No refunds will be issued after June 15.
This year, due to safety concerns, participation will be capped at each level. The Mighty Mite squad is limited to 10 cheerleaders each from Westwood and Washington Township. Pee/Wee, for grades 3 and 4, will be capped at 30. Junior and Senior levels—grades 5 and 6, and grades 7 and 8—will be limited to 35 cheerleaders each. A waiting list option will be available if spots fill up.
The 2025 season begins the week of Aug. 4 and runs through mid-November. Teams practice three evenings a week—Monday, Wednesday, and Friday—and games begin in September, held on Saturdays and/or Sundays.
For more information, email westwoodyouthcheerleading@yahoo.com.
Organizers say the energy and teamwork on display at MetLife last season captured the spirit of the program—and they’re hopeful a new group of cheerleaders will join in that same spirit this fall.