Cheer Team Steps Up to Support Junior College

The UC Merced Cheer Team is stepping up to support its neighbors.

Nearby Merced College doesn’t have an active spirit squad, so UC Merced’s team will root on the sidelines for the Blue Devils’ football team when it takes on Cabrillo College on Saturday (Nov. 12).

For cheer team member and business economics and management major Victor Bahena, it’s an opportunity for the team to give back.

“We want to build a bond in the community,” said Bahena, who is from Perris, near Riverside. “A lot of students transfer from Merced College to UC Merced, so it’s a great way to blend the two schools.”

UC Merced’s Cheer Team roots for Bobcats basketball games, appears at campus events and participates in competitions.

The team cheered for the Blue Devils during an Oct. 22 game against Reedley College, and UC Merced’s a cappella group performed the national anthem.

“We had numerous community members come up and thank the team for being there,” Bahena said. “It was a very positive experience.”

Kickoff for the Blue Devils game is 1 p.m., and the game will honor and thank local veterans and first responders.