The BHS Cheer team has been working hard every day preparing for their upcoming State competition. The girls have been preparing for State since the summer in July. All 18 girls have put in their best effort every practice since the beginning of the summer. The team is coached by Patty Lenning and Carlee Holloway. The team has been growing since the start.

“We added two foreign exchange students to the team who have never cheered before and they are doing quite well,” Lenning said. 

“We learned the band dance and fight song July 19. The crowd leading elements have been brought in over the fall,” Lenning said. 

Every practice is different every day, especially state practices. Some days work on stunts, other days they work on motions, sharpness, positions, choreography, and many other tiny details to the routines. 

“Our freshmen didn’t participate in cheer as 8th graders,” Lenning said. “Luckily they were a very talented group and caught on quickly but I think stunting was the hardest element to get back since covid… timing, strength, and skill level.” 

The coaches have always had big goals for the girls and want the best for them. 

“My biggest goal is for the team to perform to the best of their ability and be proud of their performance, after that it would be wonderful to make finals.” Lenning said. “They have the skills and potential to do very well and half of the team has never done this before, they just need to get over the nerves and let their competitive nature come through.”

The team recently had a competition at Washburn Rural High School. Their performance got a 1 rating and they got a judges award for “never ending energy.”

“The competition was really fun and I liked watching the other team’s perform,” freshman Riley Peterson said. “The feeling in the tunnel before going on was terrifying but once we were on the mats we did really well and I’m so proud of the team.”

“I’m really excited for this years state competition and it is such an amazing experience to perform in front of so many people,” senior Mady Woolfolk said. “I think our team will make it to the finals, and I hope we can get another state title, I’m a little nervous, but more importantly I’m excited.”