Another year for Varsity Competitive Cheerleading at Oxford brings new faces, including one at the top position.
Head Coach Shari Russell is in her first season as the coach. Previously, she coached at Warren’s Center Line High School.
‘We have a very young team this season,? she said.
Indeed they do. Of the 13 girls on the team, more than half are freshmen. Only three are returning from last year’s squad; there are two juniors and only one senior.
The members are: senior Trinette Coleman (a returner); juniors Keeona Ives (a captain and returner) and Britt Resk; sophomores Brittany Cavanaugh and Samme Hein (both returners while Hein is a captain) and Melanie Crumbaugh; freshmen Kendall Burr, Jackie Colon, Lisa Flasher, Olivia Hernandez, Alyssa Kasdorf, Brittany Kirby and Bri Vasha.
Russell sees the team’s youth as both a strength and disadvantage. As a strength, they’re very positive, work very hard and are a close team. As a weakness, they lack overall experience in their skills and in competition.
The team looks to be very busy this season when it comes to competition. The varsity cheerleaders will participate in three competitions in the Flint Metro League, which are then added together to determine the league winner.
‘We also have invitationals all over Michigan,? Russell added.
The team will be completing at events at Lapeer East, Brandon, Grand Blanc and Fenton, along with district meets. The top four teams at district move on to regionals, and the top four at regionals move on to state.
The coach figures Brandon and Lapeer West will be the toughest opponents.
‘To be successful, we’ll need to work hard, stay positive and condition’something we do a lot of,? Russell said. ‘We need to perfect our timing and precision.?
They’ll be doing that as they practice five times per week. The Varsity Competitive Wildcat Cheerleaders? first competition is Dec. 13.