With six returning seniors the Broken Bow High School cheer team is ready to kick off another great season. Coming off the 2020-2021 season with the Distinguished Academic Award and the 2019-2020 Class 4A State Academic Champions, this team is ready to not only work hard in their sport, but also in the classroom. This year the team will be competing in the OSSAA Game Day Regional competition that takes place in November. Last year was the team’s first time in Game Day and they were ecstatic to qualify for state.
“The girls have been practicing throughout the summer to prepare for the upcoming season. We attended a NCA Speed Camp at the University of Central Arkansas as well as a home Choreography Camp,” said coach Marissa Walls.
The team has 22 varsity members including senior captains Breece Berryhill, Faith Fields, Makayla Bray, Hannah Laster, as well as co-captain Trista Hobson.
“The biggest challenge our squad is facing this year is simply that we have a very young squad. Over half of our squad are first and second year members, without tons of experience. They are all working super hard and putting in a lot of extra practice time to gain experience. The veteran squad members have really stepped up and have helped the new girls in any way they could,” said coach Walls.
For coach Walls, having a successful team is something they strive for, but is not the ultimate goal.
“My hope is that once the girls become part of our squad, they also become part of a family. Sharing not only their skills but their hopes and dreams also. Supporting each other in their lives, not only in their sport.”
For her team to have success coach Walls expects a lot of hard work as well as dedication from all of her members in cheer and outside of it.
“The girls have practice at 6:00 a.m., and many are involved in several other school related activities other than cheer. They have to put in a lot of long days between practices, games, and homework and yet for the past three years our squad’s cumulative GPA has been a 3.7 or above.”
2021-22 Broken Bow Cheer Team
Freshmen: Jaxie Glasson, Kate Hammonds, Claire Dees, Claire Burris
Sophomores: Amiya Park, Bailey Graham, Braylyn Citty, Shaylyn Citty, Brylie Bishop, Kennison Camp, Makenzie Jennings, Sadie Sanders, Leah Billingsley
Juniors: Molly Rogers, Ella Hammonds, Emilee Robbins
Seniors: Breece Berryhill, Faith Fields, Hannah Laster, Makayla Bray, Trista Hobson, Ali Billingsley