After basketball season ends, it is time for cheer and dance team members to say goodbye to the seniors and welcome in the newcomers. Compared to previous years, the number of people trying out has grown. As usual, the cheer tryouts are held the week before spring break, and the dance tryouts are held the week after. 

For newcomers, the atmosphere can seem very nerve-racking. 

“The first day was scary. I was nervous, and so I was quiet and kept to myself,” 8th grader Joslin Bartelson said.  “The second day, however, was the total opposite. It was fun and I really enjoyed it. For the rest of the week, I was so excited for practice.”

Other than the nerves of performing, there are some other struggles that come with trying out. One of these is memorization. 

“Trying to remember the dance was the most challenging part,” junior Faith Kelly said. 

For the first time in years, the dance team had more than 12 girls try out. The dance team had to get up early every day for a week to prepare for tryouts on that Friday. The girls had to perform a dance; do two leaps, two turns, a toe touch, a kickline; and hold their left and right splits. 

“[The most challenging part] was getting up early to pick up my cousin,” sophomore Bailey Kennard said. 

For a lot of girls, the hardest part of tryouts is waiting for results. 

“The actual tryouts were very nerve-racking because we were waiting for the results for an hour,” Kennard said. 

For the first time in three years, the dance team will get to go to camp this summer. 

“I am excited about dancing at games and dance camp,” 8th grader Lairen Pauly said. 

The 2023-24 cheer team: 

Seniors- Riley Johnsen, Faith Kelly, Mya Scott, and Julia Zoglmann

Juniors- Lacey Kelly and Audrey Warren

Sophomore- Tabitha Wykes

Freshman- Joslin Bartelson 

The 2023-24 dance team: 

Seniors- Natalie Doffing, Olivia Lange, Haylee Osner, Kirsten Whitney, and Makenna Wylie

Juniors- Brooke Beck, Bailey Kennard, and Addie Pauly

Sophomore- Sydney Zoglmann

Freshman- Adyson Conkle, Brooke Koster, and Lairen Pauly