Up until last season, The Dalles cheer team had achieved consecutive state runner-up finishes and appeared to be destined to finally take that next step.
Things did not go as planned at state, however, which is why the new-look group of 35 cheerleaders, including eight varsity returners, are attacking the upcoming 2018-2019 campaign with something to prove.
“After last season, everyone, not just the returners, are hungry and ready for this new season,” TD senior Nathan Nañez said. “Last year’s team set the bar high, but I have no doubt in my mind that this year’s team will not only just meet everyone’s expectations, but will exceed them with flying colors.”
During the offseason, the cheer team participated in open gyms throughout April in preparation for three days of tryouts May 14-16 at Wahtonka High School.
On the first two days, cheer head coach Kelsey Sugg-Wallace and assistant Alli Miles taught a dance and a cheer, then went over motions, spiriting and jumps, tumbling and stunting basics to the 43 in attendance.
The third day had the cheer participants do a formal tryout in front of a panel of judges, where they were judged on dance, cheer, jump, personality and tumbling.
Of the original 43, 33 girls and two boys were announced as official members of the new squad – there are eight varsity returners and nine junior varsity returners back in the mix.
The other 18 are brand new to the cheerleading world, which means the coaches, along with the five seniors, Hannah Wallis, Mackenzie Smith, Jordyn Hattenhauer, Zaida Lopez and Nañez will have a significant impact on how quickly the newcomers find their comfort zone.
“I’m excited to help lead this team through this year,” Nañez said. “What I keep pushing to everyone is the idea of perseverance. Not letting a block in the road stop you is the key to improving, and is also, what I think, will help push this team, and future teams, to the fullest of their abilities.”
Last season, the Riverhawks racked up two competitive cheer victories in a row at the Pacer Invite (151.7 points) and the Scotsmen Rumble (156.9) by an average of 5.5 points.
At the Cavalier Cheer Invitational in Clackamas on Jan. 27, TD got its groove back in a major way with top honors by a final score of 183.9-132.5 over second-place Hood River Valley, to head into state with some extra momentum.
On Feb. 10, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the Riverhawks totaled 152.7 points for sixth-place honors, behind state-champion South Albany (179.30).
Entering this new campaign, Nañez said the team’s goals involved putting a focus on community and crowd involvement, which he feels will help the newcomers on the mat at competitions by getting them out and about feeling comfortable and confident in front of a larger audience.
In a handful of practices thus far, the cheerleaders are hitting skills that were difficult for previous teams to hit throughout the summer.
Daily doubles begin in August, as the team prepares for football games during the fall, and then cheer routines inside Kurtz Gymnasium for basketball in the winter.
By the turn of the New Year, several members will set their sights on the competitive aspect of cheer.
“Our team looks good,” Wallis said. “We started practice earlier to get a head start on the year, and the girls we have on the mat bring so much talent and potential as a whole. We are excited to see what we can accomplish with a new team. We are going to continue to practice hard to reach our goals.”
After taking a year off, Wallis is back on the team, so while she is catching up to the rest of her teammates and putting in the extra time to hit the ground running, there is steady progress being made.
The incoming senior is just happy to be locked in unison with her sisters again.
“It feels amazing to be back on such a great team,” Wallis said. “I love the girls and I’m excited to compete again. I’m always going to be continuing to work as hard as I can to be the best that I can be for my team, just like the other girls are. After last season, and for me taking a year off, we still want a victory. I know that we are going to do as much as we can to take it.”
At this point, Sugg-Wallace said the junior varsity and varsity teams have yet to be determined, so it is currently one team practicing together, working to achieve the many goals they have set for themselves.
In addition to the basics of the sport, Sugg-Wallace is planning to build the team’s stunting and tumbling, while integrating new skills and reinforcing old ones to make the upcoming competitive season as strong as it can be.
Hattenhauer is not looking too far ahead, however.
The cheer season is a marathon, not a sprint.
“This team is very new and young, and I think that’s what this team needs this year,” Hattenhauer said. “We are all anxious to start competition season, but we have a lot of things we need to work on before that time comes.”
The program’s first fundraiser of the year is underway with the annual cookie dough drive.
Any person interested in ordering cookies can contact any cheerleader or members of the coaching staff to purchase 40 cookies for $20. Email Sugg-Wallace at kelseyesugg@live.com with any questions.
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