Gimme an l-e-s-s-o-n

CORONA DEL MAR — It was a sort of passing of the torch – make that a baton – from one generation to the next.

The Corona del Mar High School’s Sea Kings dominated the gymnasium floor on Thursday as dozens of varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders performed alongside elementary school children in what has become a popular fundraising event for the squads.

Varsity and junior varsity coaches Lauren Anderson and Cami Marseilles had a full day organizing the event while throngs of proud parents looked on from the sidelines of the gym.

It was quite the scene as tykes performed stunts in sync with the older, more experienced cheerleaders.

Welcome to the endproduct of the cheerleading camp, which began a few weeks ago for girls ages 6 to 12. If there were ever a boot camp for cheerleading, this would be it.

Over the course of the past few weeks, the teenagers taught the younger girls the high school cheer and how to perform cartwheels and other assorted stunts.

According to Carrie Nelson, a parent and a member of the fundraising committee, more than $5,000 was raised from the summer camp, which charges $100 per pupil. Proceeds will augment the coaches’ salaries and help pay for some of the uniforms for the varsity and JV squads.

Riley Worth, a CdM senior, and her friend, Audrey Carroll, a junior, said their legs, particularly their quads, ache at the end of the day.

“Physically, it’s a lot of work,” said Worth as she filed into the gym with the rest of the squad.

Kate Alvardo, one of last year’s captains for the varsity squad, will be cheering for the UCLA in the fall, said Julia Carroll, Audrey’s mother.

But on Thursday it was more about handing the baton to the younger generation, some of whom will be strutting their stuff at the high school’s first football game in the fall.