It’s crunch time and the ladies of Seward Park High School cheerleading team have been doing all they can to raise money to attend the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Florida after qualifying for the second year in a row.

“If we’re not able to make it ,it’s going to be really heartbreaking because of all the hard work, sacrifices, that not only us as a team has made but people in our community have made to support us,” said Jeslynn Cayetano, a junior at the Lower East Side school.

The team has been down this road before. NY1 reported last year when the team secured its very first bid for the national cheerleading competition. Money then was also an issue, but the team managed to raise the funds necessary to compete — making it just short of the semifinal round.

“We have been practicing since last year for nationals so we already know what to expect and what to do and what’s expected of us,” said Patrina Zamy, a junior.

But funding is always lingering in the back of their minds.

“Money! We’re always thinking about that during practice. Maybe like ‘all our hard work is for nothing and what if we don’t have enough money to go?’” said Cayetano.

With only about a week and a half until nationals, the girls have been ramping up efforts, hosting bake sales on campus, rallying teachers and classmates and canvassing for support in their neighborhoods.

“Obviously, it’s awkward sometimes to go up to people that you don’t know and ask them for money, but they’re doing the best they can,” said Kimberly Haynes, an assistant coach for the team.

“We shouldn’t have to sit here and have to ask for funding that we should automatically have when we work so hard for it, we go to competitions, we do everything that like if you think about basketball and stuff like that, they do the same thing to they compete and get to move on,” said A. Curry, a freshman on the squad.

Cheerleading is not recognized as a sport in the city and therefore receives little or no funding. In addition to on the ground fundraising, the team has a GoFundMe page and is still in need of about $20,000.

“It feels really good to have the support of the community. Seeing other teams get stuff handed to them without having to fundraise for their stuff, it’s very heartbreaking for us all because we put in as much work,” said Cayetano.

For these ladies, they said they’ve earned their spot and just want to compete if for nothing else to show they’re not a one hit wonder.

“Even if we don’t win, it’s just like being there together, going through all the no’s all together that shows a lot,” said Zamy.