The University of Rhode Island

Cheerleading Team

Leighton Landroche
PRS 320
Press Kit

UniversityofRhodeIslandCheerleadingTeam
Overview
TheUniversityofRhodeIslandcheerleaderscompletetheatmosphereathome
sportingeventsfortheuniversitysathletics.They are a Division 1 All Girl cheerleading
squad. They are lead under the supervision of Spirit Squad Coordinator and Head Coach
Melissa Scungio. The squads number one priority is their commitment to the Athletic
Department. The cheerleaders are a major part of the University and community. This
presence stems from their spirit and support at the Football, Men's and Women's
basketball games, and within the URI community. TheirMissionStatementadvertises:
The URI Spirit Program is committed to providing a dynamic and positive environment
for young woman to pursue all aspects of excellence. This includes character, selfdiscipline, commitment and leadership. We believe in education through sport,
practicality and promoting community and pride in the University of Rhode Island.
The cheerleaders play a huge role in the athletic department here at URI. The
cheerleading squad currently consists of 25 members, all of which are females. The URI
cheerleaders are active throughout the entire year, both on and off campus. One may see
cheerleaders at home football games as well as home men and womens basketball
games. The squad travels to The Governors Cup football game versus Brown, as well as
the Ocean State Battle mens basketball game versus Providence College. The team
attends two pep rallies on campus: Rhody Rally for homecoming and Rhody Madness to
kick off basketball season. The women of the team can also be found volunteering at
events in the community and across the state on a regular basis.

The cheerleaders attend UCA College Camp in the preseason and travel with the
Men and Womens Basketball teams in the post season. The cheerleaders have attended
the UCA College National Championship for the past three years. They compete in
Division 1 All-Girl. In both 2014 and 2015, the squad placed 5th in the nation and in 2016,
they placed 7th in the nation,
If someone were interested in trying out to be on the URI Cheerleading Team,
they would need to meet some requirements. They must have a strong commitment to
URI Athletics, seeing as athletics is their main focus. You would also need standing
tumbling skills of a standing back handspring on the hard wood floor, but a standing tuck
would be preferred. For running tumbling, a round off back handspring tuck or layout is
required, but a layout or full would also be preferred. You would need to have sharp
motion technique, excellent crowd leading skills, and a Game Day Collegiate Image.

University of Rhode Island Cheerleading Team

Biography Head Coach
Melissa Scungio has been leading the University of Rhode Islands Cheerleading
Team as head coach for the past seven years. Scungio began her career at URI as an
undergrad cheerleader. She was captain both her junior and senior year. She learned the
ropes of the program during her undergrad years at URI, giving her the opportunity to
take over in full force after she graduated. Scungio is a Rhode Island native who
demonstrates passion and pride in her Alma Mater. Scungio is well known in the
northeast for her wide knowledge of cheerleading. She starting doing choreography for
teams in the region in 2005 and has offered her expertise to teams ever since.
Presently, Melissa is also a professional cheerleading instructor for the Universal
Cheerleaders Association. UCA is the largest cheerleading organization in the World.
Since its founding in 1974, the company has been the driving force in making
cheerleading the dynamic, athletic, high profile activity it is today. Melissa has been a
part of this company for over seven years, and she intends to continue her profession with
UCA. Her affiliation to this prestigious company continues to increase her experience,
skill and knowledge as a coach.
Melissa has worked many of the UCA High School National Championships, as
well as the International and World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, FL every
year since 2010. As a result, Melissa has judged for many Youth, Middle School, High
School and All Star competitions across the Northeast. She has also hosted multiple stunt
and coaches clinics.

Melissa was a cheerleader for the North Kingstown High School Skippers. While
there, she was a part of their first State Championship title in 2004. She was then named a
member of the Rhode Island All-State Cheerleading Squad in 2005.

Pictured above from left to right:

Head Coach: Melissa Scungio
Assistant Coach: Steph Ashworth
Assistant Coach: Ashley Durand

University of Rhode Island Cheerleading Team

Biography The Sisters

Leighton and Brighton Landroche are the first set of sisters to be

on the URI Cheerleading Team, born and bred in West Warwick, Rhode
Island. Leighton is a senior and Brighton is a freshman. Leightons
experience has taught her a lot about college cheer after cheering for
the Rams the last four years, and it has helped Brighton make an
easier transition into college cheerleading as well.
Leighton is a double majoring in Public Relations and
Communication Studies. She has fifteen years of cheerleading
experience. During her high school career, Landroche was chosen for
the RICCA All-Around Team for her four years of high school and
awarded a spot on the RIIL and Projos All-State Team for three. In
March of 2012, she was named Rhode Island Interscholastic Leagues
Student-Athlete of the Month and she was a nominee for the Cox
Communications Sports Athlete of the Year. As a senior, she was
awarded West Warwicks Outstanding Athlete 2012. She was also a
dancer for fifteen years and won Young Miss Dance Ovations. During
her career as a URI cheerleader, she had the privilege of being on the
squad to make URIs first appearance at UCAs College Nationals in
2014 where the team placed 5th in the nation. She also helped the
team to another 5th place finish in 2015 and a 7th place finish in 2016.

For the passed two years, Leighton has received the Coaches Award of
Most Collegiate. This past year she was one of the teams Senior
Leaders and has declared that she will be coming back for a fifth year
as a Rhody Ram.
Brighton is currently undeclared, hoping to go into Kinesiology.
She has been cheering for seven years. She was chosen for the RICCA
All-Around Team for three years with stats as Best Dancer, Best
Jumper, and Best Tumbler and was named the number one
cheerleader in the state by RIIL in 2013 and 2015. She was also
awarded with the Cox Sports Award Cheerleader of the Year in
2013,2014 and 2015. She was also a part of Projos All-State Team for
the past 4 years. Brighton has been awarded the Cox Sports Award,
Cheerleader of the Year in 2013 and 2014. She was also a dancer for
twelve years and won Little Miss Dance Ovations in 2008 and traveled
to Germany as a part of the USA dance team. Brighton was awarded a
spot on the competition mat this year at UCA College Nationals where
she helped the team to a 7th place finish!

University of Rhode Island Cheerleading Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Does your team compete?

o Yes, the University of Rhode Island Cheerleaders compete in Division 1
All-Girl at UCA College Nationals
What teams do you cheer for
o Football, Mens Basketball, and Womens Basketball
What are the stunting requirements?
o Collegiate level stunting
What are the tumbling requirements?
o Standing tumbling: standing back handspring on the hard wood floor, but
a standing tuck would be preferred.
o Running tumbling: round off back handspring tuck or layout is required,

but a layout or full would also be preferred.

When do you practice?
o 3 times a week
o Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays
o 3 hours each
Is the program time consuming?
o With practice, games, pep rallies, and community involvement, the
program may overwhelm some but also teaches girls to manage their time

between schoolwork, the program, and having a social life.

Im a boy, can I tryout?
o Unfortunately, the team will not go coed unless we have multiple males
willing to tryout for the team. For one male, it is very hard to meet the

coed requirements need at UCA College Nationals.

Are there separate teams for games and competitions?
o No, once you make the squad, you cheer for both games as well as prepare
for competitions.

Contact: Leighton Landroche

The University of Rhode Island
Phone (401)-824-4463
leightonlandroche@gmail.com

88 Silverwood Lane
West Warwick, RI 02893

The University of Rhode Island

Press Release
University of Rhode Island Cheerleading Tryouts
Kingston, Rhode Island,

Welcome newly admitted students of

The University of Rhode Island! Hope you are ready for a great first semester of your
undergraduate career. Here at the University of Rhode Island, we have awesome
Spirit Groups that support the athletics, one being the cheerleading team. This
weekend the team is hosting their tryouts for the 2016-2017 cheerleading squad.
Tryouts are a two-day process. The first day is April 30 from 9:00-4:00pm and it
continues into May 1 from 12:00-4:00pm. If selected for the team, cheerleaders will
return on May 1 at 6:00pm to fill out paperwork, receive uniforms, and partake in a
short practice.
In order to make the URI Cheerleading Team, there are some requirements
that you would need to meet. You must have a strong commitment to URI
Athletics, seeing as athletics is the squads main focus. You would also need
standing tumbling skills of a standing back handspring on the hard wood floor,
but a standing tuck would be preferred. For running tumbling, a round off back
handspring tuck or layout is required, but a layout or full would also be preferred.
You would need to have sharp motion technique, excellent crowd leading skills,
and a Game Day Collegiate Image.
There will be a tryout fee of $40. You should come to both days of tryouts wearing
navy shorts, white athletic top, hair pulled back, bow facing backwards, and game day
hair and make up. There will be a break for lunch as well on both days, be sure to
bring yourself a lunch, snacks and plenty of water.
We wish all students trying out this weekend the best of luck throughout the tryout
process. If there are any questions involving the tryouts this weekend, please dont be
shy to contact the Head Coach, Melissa Scungio to quickly get them answered at
melscung@uri.edu.
###
For Release 5:00 pm April 26, 2016

To: ahouse94@my.uri.edu
Subject: URI Cheerleading

Alex House,
If you come across the Rhode Island Athletics website and take a look under the
sports listed on the page, you will see football, softball, mens basketball, womens
soccer, etc. But you will notice that cheerleading is not there. Go to the club sports and
you will find, field hockey, gymnastics, sailing, etc. Notice again, cheerleading is still not
there. Once you take a look in the Inside Sports section, look for Spirit Groups and
finally you have found the University of Rhode Island Cheerleading Team. The program
is dedicated to supporting the football team, both the mens and womens basketball
games, as well as promoting community and pride at URI.
For years, since the beginning of URI Cheerleading, the team has been gameoriented. The Division I All-Girl team that you see today was much different in the past.
Within the past three years, the URI cheerleading team has made URI history. The team
has gone down to Orlando, Florida over winter break, competed at the Universal
Cheerleaders Association College Cheerleading National Championships and placed
within the top ten in Division 1 All-Girl 3 times. The cheerleading team is now known as
a nationally ranked Division 1 team. The URI cheerleaders have come a long way in
these three short seasons.
I want the audience to understand that not only do the universities cheerleaders
support athletics; they also compete nationally, as well as appear throughout the
community for events with the university. The URI cheerleaders are active throughout

the entire year, both on and off campus. Just because the URI Cheerleaders dont have
the title of being a fully recognized sport at the university does not mean they are
anything less than athletes and ambassadors of this school.
I believe a story on the URI cheerleaders could be a good fit for The Good Five
Cent Cigar. They deserve a spotlight on their team showcasing everything they do for this
university and community. I could help arrange interviews with head coach Melissa
Scungio or any of the URI cheerleaders to get a better understanding of the team, just let
me know how ever we could help make this story the best for the newspaper