Nicole Buonopane is very good with numbers. A 2010 graduate of Bentley University, one of the nation’s premier business schools, Buonopane works professionally as a certified public accountant.
Make that she’s great with numbers, because as everyone in accounting knows, passing the CPA exam takes a great amount of study and knowledge.
Outside of her CPA work, Buonopane, 35, is the cheer coordinator for the Everett Crimson Tide Pop Warner organization. And she said the number of cheerleaders competing on teams this season is at an all-time high.
“We have about 130 cheerleaders, which is an amazing turnout,” Buonopane said pridefully. “It’s a higher enrollment than we’ve had in previous years.”
To what does Nicole Buonopane attribute the popularity of the Crimson Tide cheer program?
“I think it’s word of mouth, and our teams are doing well, and the girls wanting to learn something new,” she said.
Buonopane is a former Everett Huskies Pop Warner and All-Star cheerleader. She began coaching as a student assistant for two years. In addition to her supervisory position overseeing all six Everett cheer teams. She is the head coach of the Crimson Tide Pop Warner Varsity Team.
Crimson Tide teams have been consistent qualifiers for the National Pop Warner Cheer Championships that are held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. “We had two squads (Varsity and Junior Varsity) go to Nationals last year, and both placed in the top 10,” said Buonopane. “Our Junior Varsity team won the New England Regionals.”
Buonopane said the ages of the athletes range from 3 to 16. The cheer teams are the Junior Tiny Mites (ages 3-4), Tiny Mites (5-6), Mighty Mites (7-8), Junior Pee Wee (9-10), Junior Varsity (10-13), and Varsity (13-16).
“We’ve been working in practices at perfecting their motions and getting their technique down, so we can keep building their skills as they progress,” said Buonopane. “All of our teams will be at all the home and away football games. Our top four teams will be competing for Nationals.”
Buonpane said a huge boost to the program is the excellent support the teams receive from Everett Crimson Tide President Brian Dimond.
“Brian is very supportive of the cheerleaders. He always looks out for our best interests,” said Buonopane.
Success in Pop Warner cheerleading has inspired many of the athletes to continue in the sport at Everett High School.
“I feel we set a good foundation for part of the success at the high school level,” said Buonopane. “We hope that the girls like to graduate out of Pop Warner and continue on to high school, and maybe even college.”
Dimond offered high praise for the cheer program and the inspired leadership of Buonopane and her staff of coaches.
“I think our cheerleading program is one of the best in the state,” said Dimond. “I attribute the high turnout to great coaching and the way Nicole runs it. She always motivates the kids. We’re always ahead of the game with the fundamentals and everything else. She’s right on top of the new regulations, and the coaches are always well qualified. Our program is family oriented. Our coaches want to give back to the city.”
Dimond said that Buonopane also played a role in the design of the new cheer uniforms: “She does it all. I’m so proud of her. The uniforms are red, gold, and black, and I can’t wait to distribute the uniforms to our athletes next week. I think they’re really going to like the look.”