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Jackson Cheerleader Aims For Big Things
By Keith Hagarty
With success as a world class cheerleader, and aspiring model and actress, Jackson's 15-year old Anastasia Zisko can now add one more accomplishment to her growing resume: cover girl.
Flashing a bubbly wink across the cover of American Cheerleader magazine, the 5'3" Anastasia was named "Cheerleader of the Month" by the national publication in their July/August edition.
"There are things that you can coach about a kid and thing that you can't, and the look and attitude are something that's uncoachable," said Anastasia's former coach, Sean Timmons, from team Galaxy of the World Cup All Stars of Freehold. "When you have a kid that has the look and has the right attitude, their options are endless."
Timmons got the initial phone call from the magazine, who saw Anastasia at a competition in Orlando, Florida and tried to track her down, knowing her only as "the blonde cheerleader from Galaxy."
"Seeing her on the cover was pretty exciting," said Timmons.
Anastasia's first big exposure to the national cheerleading community came about five years ago when she was an 11-yearold member of the All Shore Cheerleading squad, earning a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and being part of a national championship.
 | | Anastasia Zisko is flying high after being named Cheerleader of the Month by American Cheerleader magazine. (left) When she's not modeling, acting or performing death defying stunts, the 15-year old spends time sharing laughs with her friends and family, and baysitting her sisters, Shayla, 5, Jessica, 10, and her 11-month old baby brother, Wayne. |
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The success of her and her team soon caught the eye of American Cheerleader Jr. magazine, garnering a photo shoot and profile with two other team members.
"I was really, really surprised," she said of being picked by the magazine.
Receiving national recognition by the magazine earned Anastasia a $1,500 scholarship, and put her in contention for American Cheerleader's "Cheerleader of the Year." More information about voting for Anastasia for the exclusive honor can be found at their website www.americancheerleader. com.
Now a member of the Small Senior Level 5 Advanced team, the Cosmic Rays of the World Cup All Stars, Anastasia just completed her freshman year at Jackson Memorial High School, and is preparing to join the first ever class at the new Jackson Liberty High School in September.
After moving to Jackson from Old Bridge when she was five years old, it didn't take long for Anastasia to start her journey into cheerleading. Less than two years later she was an active member of the Jackson Pop Warner's Mighty Mights cheerleading squad.
When asked what was going through her mind as a little girl facing her first ever major competition for the Jackson Pop Warner Cheerleaders when she was only eight years old at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, Anastasia instantly recalled that stomach churning feeling as she looked up into the crowded stands and blinding lights.
"I felt like I was going to throw up," she said laughing. "I just said to myself, 'don't throw up, and don't get too nervous, and don't mess up."
She didn't mess up.
When asked if she knew that Anastasia was destined to be a cheerleader at such a young age, her mother, Shelly, didn't hesitate.
"Yes," she resoundingly confirmed, recalling Anastasia constantly tumbling and diving through the air almost as soon as
she could walk.
"She just had a certain quality," said Shelly. "Right away we knew that with her flying through the air, we knew she had the quality and talent to do that, and to succeed and only get better with that."
It wasn't just her physical gifts either. Anastasia had a knack for being the center of attention and flourishing under the spotlight, constantly raiding her grandmother's closet searching for something new to shine in.
"I was always dressing up in her dresses and stealing her shoes and running around all the time," said Anastasia.
Trying Out Acting
Never one to shy from the spotlight helped
get Anastasia cast in the upcoming movie "Fast Track", due out in October, starring Zach Braff, Jason Bateman and Amanda Peet. It was an amazing experience for Anastasia, who plays a cheerleader flying around and performing a cheer routine during a dream sequence.
"They were all so nice. It was a lot of fun," Anastasia said of her first cinematic experience. "We were there-oh my God-such long hours," she said, adding that having a couple of her cheerleader friends from World Cup All Stars also participating in the movie made the long, tiring waits more enjoyable.
A month later, Anastasia also landed background work as an extra on "The Sopranos", but her screen time was cut by the final airing. Despite her disappointment at not making the episode, Anastasia maintains her upbeat, positive outlook, saying she leaves her options open to all acting opportunities.
"Whatever they can throw at me," she said. "I'll take it for whatever it is ... I love all that stuff."
When asked which actors or actresses she dreams of working with the most someday,
Anastasia quickly responded.
"Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt," she said. "They're gorgeous, they're really good actors, and they show that they're really strong people."
Combining elements of gymnastics, dance and acrobatics, the stereotypical view of cheerleaders as the ditzy pretty girls leading the crowd in chants and waving their frilly pom-poms is one that Anastasia would like to see change.
"Cheerleading is a sport," she said emphatically, taking issue with naysayers who belittle cheerleading and its physical demands. "It's all about dedication and it's all about the work ethic."
Sadly, Hollywood often fuels the fire.
"They take the dumb, blonde chick and put her in as the head cheerleader, and they think it's going to make everything all better, and that's just not how it is," she said.
No matter how many movie roles or magazine covers, Anastasia still has responsibilities at home. Despite her accomplishments at such a young age, Shelly is perhaps most proud of Anastasia's deep sense of love and generosity towards her family.
"She helps a lot when it comes to taking care of her family," said Shelly. "You have to rely on family because you can't do it without each other ... you need to have as many people as you can in your life being supportive."
With her mother always close by and her grandmother, Audrey Troise, serving as her business manager, Anastasia is appreciative of the loving, supportive atmosphere she's been raised in.
Anastasia credits her mother with giving her that extra kick in the butt, particularly for those 5 a.m. wake-up times on the weekends getting ready for a competition.
"I am not an early bird at all," she said laughing. "You've got to work for what you want. If you don't work for what you want then you're not going to get anything."
Anastasia also sees a lot of potential in her sisters in their own cheerleading pursuits.
"It's a good feeling," she said, adding
that she's probably their toughest coach. "I criticize them hard. I'm really tough on them because they're my sisters and I want them to be just as good."
"`Stasia would make a great coach because she knows what she's doing," said her 10 year old sister, Jessica. "She's really supportive."
Teaching Others
Becoming a cheerleading coach someday would be an ideal way for Anastasia to share her love for cheerleading. Having learned from some of the best coaches in cheerleading has showed her what it takes to teach others what she knows, she said.
"The coaches tell us that the best criticism is honest criticism," she said. "If you're going to give somebody criticism then you have to make sure that what you're telling them is right. When you're trying to give them an idea of what they should be doing, you have to really explain it clearly."
Confidence is key in all sports, and cheerleading is no exception, where lingering self-doubt can be the difference between success and a devastating injury.
"If you think you're going to get hurt doing something, then don't do it," Anastasia advises. "If you need help, you should always ask first. Don't just go off and try to do it on your own. You can seriously hurt yourself."
Anastasia is no stranger to injuries, suffering a broken nose last year after accidentally smacking her face into a teammate's shoulder during a routine and breaking her wrist on another occasion in practice right before a competition in Baltimore.
"I was in the middle of a back flip and I
fell and blacked out," she said of her injury. "I put my hand out to block hitting my neck and I broke my wrist."
Despite the bad break, Anastasia pressed on, refusing to let her team down by sitting out.
"I didn't care if it was broken, I was going to compete anyway," she said. "I wasn't going to miss the competition ... I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
Instead, she competed with a full cast on her wrist, coloring it black to match her uniform, earning "Best Flyer" and "Best Cheerleader of the Day" honors at the competition.
With 35 cheerleaders performing a rapid paced, high-flying routine in perfect unison, the slightest slip up can be the difference between earning a high score or completely bombing out-or even worse, facing a serious injury.
"If you're even half of a count off, you're done," Anastasia said, noting the intense training and practice that goes into every routine.
It's that 'never say die' attitude that separates the winners from the losers, according to Timmons.
"She's a kid who's in it for her team. She's not in it for herself." he said. "Getting the cover of a big magazine like that is extremely important and it's such an individual thing, but she would have never gotten that far if it wasn't for her attitude and her care for her team in the first place."
Looking Ahead
Like most other athletes, Anastasia and her teammates have their own personal precompetition rituals.
"You'll probably laugh at me, but I drink about four red bulls and down pixie sticks," she said. "It's tradition though."
The one year that she and her teammates didn't have red bull and drank another energy drink was the year they lost at nationals. Superstitions abound in cheerleading, just like any other sports, hence even the pixie sticks must be just the right flavor.
"They have to be blue," she said. "That way if you do stick your tongue out in any way, shape or form, your tongue is blue."
Next up for Anastasia and the Cosmic Rays is intense training for December's World Spirit Federation East Coast Challenge cheerleading competition in Atlantic City, where you can be assured that Shelly's bellowing shouts of support will be heard across the entire Jersey Shore.
Shelly said she's grown accustomed to losing her voice after every competition, but appreciates the words of praise bestowed upon Anastasia from fans in the stands.
"People come up to me and say, 'I couldn't take my eyes off of her, I can't believe it," she said. "She has that kind of charisma. It's the thing when she comes out onto the floor, it's the way she presents herself and rouses the crowd. I call it moxie."
While she appreciates the compliments, Anastasia is more comfortable doing what she loves the most.
"From now until the end of the year, it's just straight hussle," she said. "You've just got to push, push, push and try, try, try."
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