The Yankees recognized the Hunterdon Huskies Contender cheerleading team of High Bridge, N.J. In 2009, Debbie House took a passion for helping special needs children and created an outlet for local young girls to shine through the Hunterdon Huskies Contender cheerleading team. The team consists of a dozen high school-aged girls with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism. The program allows the girls to temporarily escape the challenges of their everyday lives and do something they love, while forming strong friendships through a shared activity.
Yankees players Andrew Miller, Michael Pineda, John Ryan Murphy, Chris Capuano and Chasen Shreve, Yankees coach Joe Espada, and WWE Superstars Titus O’Neil and Darren Young surprised the Contenders at their performance at the Jawonio Center in Rockland County, N.Y., a community center for people with developmental disabilities and special needs. Later at Yankee Stadium, the cheerleaders met Yankees manager Joe Girardi and spent time practicing cheers on the field with WWE Superstars The Miz, Naomi and Sasha Banks. Just before the start of the game, the cheerleaders created a “cheer tunnel” that Yankees players ran through as they took the field prior to their game vs. Cleveland.
Photos Courtesy of the New York Yankees