It’s cheer season once again! Cheerleading tryouts were held on April 29 through May 3. There was a total of 24 girls who tried out. The coaches for JV and Varsity are Stephanie Bateman and Julie Deckard. Bateman is the varsity coach and Deckard is the JV coach.

The coaches decided who made what team by observing how the girls performed and executed certain things. For instance, the girls were taught a dance, three chants and a cheer. They observed how well you caught on and did the cheer and dance throughout the week. The coaches also watched the girls jump, tumble and stunt. Your skill level and your attitude throughout the week will be scored throughout the week.

How you treat others was a big part of determining what team you made this year. Judges and coaches were watching how you talked and acted toward other girls. Were you helping them out or were you silently mocking? Were you being encouraging to the other girls or were you busy not paying attention and doing your own thing? Things like that can be crucial since cheerleading is a team sport.

At the begging of practice the girls who were trying out took 10 minutes to eat their snack and wait for the eighth graders. Once everybody was there they run 10 laps around the gym. They then did toy soldiers, squats, lunges, inch worms, high knees and various stretches. Freshman Kathryn Bransfield stated, “I like how we did more conditioning and stuff because that really gets us ready for the rest of the practice.”

Bransfield was on the JV squad this past year and came to try out again. At the end of it all, she made the 2019-2020 Varsity squad! This will be her fourth year cheering at Marshfield. Bransfield also participates in track during the little amount of off season that cheer has.

Instead of posting a list of who made what team on the doors for the girls to come look at after tryouts, coaches decided to take a different approach. They decided that they would give each girl a letter as they were leaving. On the letter it said if you made varsity, jv or didn’t make it. It would also have the schedule and prices of many events they are holding.  The girls weren’t allowed to open the letters until they got to their car.

Coach Bateman has coached at the Varsity level for two years. Before that she coached Jr. High for six years at Marshfield and six years at Fordland. Bateman stated, “I went for a more laid back approach.  In years past, we had judges come in from other schools or places, and this year I was able to choose my own teams, just like all of the other sport coaches are able to do. I loved it”