Name: Monica Pedroza

Sport: Cheerleading

Hometown: Whittier, Calif.

High School: St. Paul High School

School/Year: COL ’08

Major: Government

Minor: Spanish

HS Highlights: 2002-2004: Captain St. Paul Cheerleading Squad

When did you first start cheerleading? When I was in seventh grade. I have been a gymnast since I was 5. I could tumble, so I thought I would try out for cheerleading. I tried out for the basketball team and didn’t make it. Cheerleading fit my interest better anyways. I’m like 5-foot-1.

What has been your most memorable moment? Definitely in high school it has to be when all three of our teams (song-leading, cheerleading varsity and junior varsity) all won first place my junior year. Another memorable moment was initiation in high school. We were called the “Baby Breakfast Club” because they would pour any breakfast food on us at camp: ketchup, eggs, flour. It wasn’t just randomly, it happened on a special initiation night . and we were blindfolded! At Georgetown, definitely the Duke game, it was amazing!

What is your favorite routine? I think my favorite routine is getting ready for Midnight Madness. It’s a big deal; it is the beginning of the school year. We work really hard in the beginning of the year. We get to perform in front of the school and get everyone psyched for basketball season.

Who’s your biggest rival? We hate Syracuse. We actually met one of their male cheerleaders, Tom, at the Big East tournament. He came up to us when we were eating dinner at the hotel restaurant. My friend Janine Visalli (COL ’09) said, “Aw, you cheer for Syracuse, well that sucks,” and then basically for the rest of the Big East tournament, we basically hated Tom and [senior guard] Gerry [McNamara]. F— Tom and Gerry!

What do you do to get psyched for a game? Listening to music, jock jams and Mariah Carey! Getting to the game, what really gets me pumped up is getting to the floor and tumbling. We do it for five minutes before they game. Then when the team comes out, we just get really psyched.

Who on the team do you rely on the most? I relay on Christina Kawka (COL ’08) and Lauryn Stevens (COL ’08). I am really forgetful and always late, so they always call me five minutes before I leave and they’re like, “Are you ready to go, don’t be late.” They check to make sure I have my poms, and my knee pads . or my skirt. I definitely rely on them a lot to make sure I come to a game in one piece. We are a stunt group, so we are really close. Kiki and I base Lauryn. We are the only three sophomores on the team.

If you could be great at any other sport or event besides cheerleading, what would it be? I want to be a professional softball player. I played it when I was younger and it was so much fun. I was always at the bottom of the lineup and played center field, which is actually an important position. I would play for UCLA.

What was the last song you heard on your iPod? Kelly Clarkson “Since U Been Gone.”

What is the best part about being a cheerleader? The best part about being a cheerleader is just knowing that you are one. I love going to game and going crazy, and smiling incessantly. People normally think you’re weird if you are always happy, but if you are cheerleader it is OK. You have a reason to be peppy and have a smile plastered to your face, and be the kind of person who is excited about anything. Most of the cheerleaders, especially the sophomores and freshmen are so crazy and exited about everything. We see a basketball player and are like, “Oh my God he talked to me!” It is always a new adventure and something fun to do. It takes the stress off of school being able to have a good time and not having to worry about work and school, and all that kind of the stuff.

Most prized possession? Cheerleading, most prized possession: my pom poms. In real life, probably the pictures I have of my family and friends.

Dream job? If I dropped out tomorrow and suddenly had 20/20 vision I would be a dolphin trainer at Sea World. I wanted to do this since I was four, but my eyes went bad, and I began wearing glasses, and my parent said only people with 20/20 vision could swim with dolphins. I see myself being sort of like Free Willy, but with dolphins. Also, my friends are going to completely laugh at that because they know how seriously obsessed with dolphins I am.

Most embarrassing moment? I am going to be really embarrassed walking around school after sharing this story. I was at a party one time with Lauryn and there was this really cute guy and she was like, “You should go talk to him.” So were sitting on couch and he was like, “So you’re a cheerleader? So, what do you do?” And I was like, “I pick up Lauryn.” Then my drink was running out and he said that he’d get me a new one if I showed him a stunt or something. We are in Henle with a million people in a little apartment, so I am like sure I can do one. So I get Lauryn and I am like, “Let’s do a chair!” I go to pick her up and put her in a chair, and she hits her head on the ceiling. There is a loud bang, and we both fall down on the floor. We get up and everyone is starring at us. Then the guy came back with a new drink, and he was like “Oh are you OK?” and he promptly left. I guess he wasn’t impressed. He didn’t even watch, and I got a bruise, what a loser. No more cheerleading tricks for boys.

What magazine would someone find on your coffee table? Us or Cosmo. They have a lot of good tips: hair, clothing, makeup. Gossip, juicy stories, you have to keep up on that if you are a cheerleader. It’s a valuable resource if you are a woman.

What one word people use to describe you? “I don’t know.” Can I come up with like three? Peppy, loud, and Margot Murphy (SFS ’08) would say “scrumtrulescent.”

What do you like to do when you are not cheerleading? Like fun things? I like to watch re-runs of “Friends” and “Sex and The City.” Eat, just continuously. And um, go out with friends and have a good time. ake it interesting, mix it up. . Also I like to dance!

Freshman dorm? Oh my God, Harbin six! Or Chicks on Six! They put me in all girls floor, which I didn’t think I was going to like but ended up liking it a lot more. Now I live in LXR on the ground floor, a.k.a the dungeon, with boys that are just gross.

The most common thing you eat at Leo’s? Fro-yo. It’s got to be the Fro-yo. Sometimes I use the Oreo cookies to mix it in, or sometimes I am feeling the Butterfingers. Sometimes just plain, and on special days: sprinkles.

Favorite Georgetown professor? I am trying to narrow it down to just one. I love my Spanish teacher (Irina Feldman), she is really sweet and really nice. She always makes us laugh. I like the way she dressed too.

Favorite place to be in Georgetown? Favorite place I wish I could go back to is my Harbin six dance parties. I would have parties with half of my cluster. Favorite place off campus, is Philly. I was just there last night, and it was a Wednesday!

.

Favorite TV show? “Cheerleader Nation,” no sourpusses allowed. Plus, I met all of them in New York at the Big East tournament and took a picture with them, even though they are in high school. One asked with her southern accent if we went to Georgetown College in Kentucky, and we were like, “No we go to Georgetown University.” And she was like, “Where is that.” And we said, “Washington, D.C.” And she was like, “Oh.” The “Oh” was like “Oh,” like she was agreeing but had no idea what we were saying.

Favorite Movie? Legally Blonde.

Any advice for people who want to join cheerleading? Please join. We need a lot of people because all of our seniors are leaving. Come to the tryouts and be peppy . and [get] courtside tickets to basketball games, what more can you ask for.

Booey’s or Wisey’s? Wisey’s. No question in my mind.