High school cheerleading squads across the country are expanding their horizons beyond the football field and gymnasiums. An increasingly number of small schools like Kimball and Potter-Dix are incorporating dance techniques into their cheer routines and taking their moves onto regional and state competitions.

 

Tiffani Dea, new head coach for the Kimball Longhorns Cheerleading Team has a vision to make the team more competitive. Dea replaces former head coach Suzanne Gorsuch who is the present head coach for the Potter-Dix Coyotes Cheerleading team. Dea was on the Nebraska Columbus College Dance Team before transferring to the University of Nebraska Lincoln to finish her schooling.

 

Both the Kimball and the Potter-Dix cheer squads began training for competitions last year. While Potter-Dix is yet to enter its first competition, the Kimball cheer squad competed in its first state competition last year in Grand Island where they placed eighth overall. For Dea, who helped Gorsuch coach the girls, it was an especially good day for the state competition was held the same day she gave birth to her son, Kale.

 

Catelyn Cornils, a senior who has been on the Kimball Longhorns Cheerleading Team for the past four years, thought the team did quite well considering that it was their first time in competition.

 

Ten girls and one alternate make up the Kimball  team while seven girls make up the Potter-Dix squad.

 

Kimball's cheerleading squad competed in its first competition of the season Saturday, August 20 in Imperial. It's hip-hop pom routine was choreographed by team member Jordain Gawith who, herself, has danced since the age of three.

 

“The team spirit is amazing,” Kimball senior Meighan Anderson says. “We are all very close.”

 

Lindsay Harms of the Potter-Dix Coyotes Cheerleading Team agrees. “We get to see all of the games, and it enhances school spirit.”

 

Maintaining the cheerleading / dance teams is not an easy or cheap task for the participating girls. Not only do they have to pay for their own uniforms, but they also have to cover their own costs for the competitions, including entry fees, hotel costs and cheerleading camp expenses. Kimball's team is involved with various fundraising events such as the annual Winter Formal. The girls also host car washes, sell T-Shirts, jewelry, cookie dough, food at the Kimball County Fair, and even clean the stadium and bleachers after games.

 

“We are very, very busy because we are both a cheer and a dance squad,” Dea said.