Jumping and gymnastic skills seem to be the strong points the girls on the Oxford varsity competitive cheer team possess this season, and they plan on using those assets to make it to number one in the Flint Metro League.
‘They have a strong work ethic, they love to compete and continue to improve each day,? said Head Coach Alanna Stockley.
Out of the 17 girls on the team, nine are returning seniors with at least three or four years of varsity experience.
Returning seniors include Ashlee-Morgan Eller, Ashley VanAtten, Libby Ardelan, April Smith, Alyssa Johnson, Natalie Lukas, Jenny Haney, Caralyn Debash and Rachel Pollack. Team captains this year are Debash, Ardelan and Smith.
Stockley said aside from their main goal of placing first in the FML, she, as well as assistant coach Jennie Eller, hopes to see the girls place in the top half of all the competitions, win regionals and go to state for the first time in Oxford’s history.
Last year, the varsity girls finished third in FML and fifth at regionals.
While practicing four days a week and once a week with special gymnastics trainers, Stockley said the girls will continue to improve by working on their timing.
‘We have a lot of experience, however, we need to keep working hard and keep improving everyday,? she said. ‘We cannot accept mediocre, we have to be better. The sport is evolving and (it’s) getting harder to place at competitions, so we need to keep getting better too.?
New to the competition this year is the chance to compete against smaller schools, as opposed to Lake Orion and state champion Rochester, giving them a better chance to win at regionals.
‘As always, our biggest competition in the FML is Lapeer West,? Stockley said.
Oxford will be hosting an invitational on January 13 at 10 a.m. and the regionals on March 3.
The girls will travel to Stoney Creek this Saturday for their first competition.