The Seaford High School varsity cheerleading team was celebrated with a parade on Saturday, May 17, as the team was honored for winning the first national title in school program history.
The cheerleading team won first place in the Division II Small Varsity category at the UCA Nationals at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The competition in February featured 96 teams from around the nation. The varsity finished runner-up in 2024.
Seaford was the only school district in Nassau County to walk away with a first-place finish in the competition.
The team was named the state Game Day champions for the second consecutive year in November 2024. That paved the way for the program to travel to Orlando for their shot at school history.
Saturday’s parade started at the Seaford Public Library, crossed over Sunrise Highway and ended at the district’s high school. The team was met by family members, district staff and local officials, including Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, state Sen. Steven Rhoads, county Legislators John Ferretti and Michael Giangregorio and Town of Hempstead Council Member Chris Schneider.
“This is truly a remarkable accomplishment. This is something you will remember for the rest of your lives,” Blakeman said.
“The girls deserve this recognition.” Team Coach Lisa Ferrari said. “They’ve worked so hard. They dedicated so much time as have all your families. We are so appreciative of this day. It’s something that we always dreamed of happening.”
Ferrari also said the team’s families and community helped make the championship possible.
The varsity team’s Instagram account posted in March and congratulated Ferrari on her retirement from coaching following the team’s championship run.
“She believes in every one of her athletes who have come through Seaford cheer and no one is more fortunate than the athletes who got to call her coach,” the post with a picture of Ferrari holding the championship trophy in Florida said.
