Junior High Cheering on their Seniors

On Friday night after a cool day on October 18, 2019, the cheer team did a total of 12 sideline cheers, 6 long cheers, and 5 stunts.   The team is comprised of the eighth graders Arielle Wilson, Lauren Staub, Keira Woods, and Lexi Thomas. The seventh graders are Cassidy Derkosh, Kylee Grim, Jaden Clapsadel, and Madelynn Mussmacher.  After that the final two girls are tenth grader Marissa Mussmacher and Emma Patterson, who is in ninth. The girls are coached up by Coach Dani.  In the beginning,the girls decided to vote Arielle and Lauren as team captains.  The Junior High girls were cheering during the third quarter of the game and performed a combined long stunt cheer.  The students also did a surprise long cheer for the seniors they were so overwhelmed with joy when they heard their names in the cheer.  The game was against Kennard-Dale High School’s Rams.  Coach Dani’s team cheered at this game since it was Senior Night for the high school squad and football players.  It is a special night for everyone involved.

After the quarter, Coach Dani said, “The most rewarding part about coaching is watching the girls grow in their confidence and skill ability throughout the year and just becoming kinda their own person as they experience something that is a little out of the ordinary.”  This is the reason why Coach Dani likes to teach the Junior HIgh cheer team. Almost every day she says they learn at least one new thing that is a little harder than the last so that she can one day put the girls out there as varsity. The intentions of each practice is to be able to make new stunts and mix groups.  Tenth grader Marissa feels privileged to be able to stunt more often than most Junior High teams do.

Team Captain Arielle Wilson said, “It really depends on the person, because everyone has their strengths and their flaws. You really have to know your team in order to give good, useful advice. But I usually always remind the girls to not let the pressure of people watching get to them. Remember every correction I’ve given them and all the reminders we’ve said. Also to remember that it’s supposed to be fun, not this big, scary thing that just stresses you out. I always want them to leave a game thinking how fun it was instead of thinking of everything that went wrong.”  This is what Arielle thinks is the most important thing to know before a game, along with what helps her to be a great captain. Between each game Arielle always shares how proud or excited she is to have the opportunity to help the girls. The cheerleaders had a new experience this past Friday because none of the girls had ever cheered senior night. Every year the JV team cheers on this night so that they can give the senior cheerleaders a farewell long cheer and more time to hang out with friends while still being a senior.