By: Jon Haslam <[email protected]>

Whether it’s fans chanting their class’ year during school wide convocations or the roar of a crowd when the football team scores a touchdown, a common theme is seen, or heard for that matter. Cheerleaders are in the position to control not only how excited a crowd is but how loud they are as well under the Friday night lights

“I love cheering. It’s really cool how a small group of people can completely change the face of a game or event with a few chants and yells,” Stephanie Shook, varsity cheerleader and sophomore, said.

“While we get a great view for the game and get to help motivate our student body, we also miss out on things like Tailgate for Life,” Shook said, “Not only that but we have a lot of practice and memorization of cheers as well.”

The team is responsible for knowing at least 50 sideline cheers along with tumbling and pyramid building. The cheerleaders put in at least 15 hours in any given week both before and after school.

The squad is coached by Lisa Knipp, who has coached teams both at this school and North Central in the past 24 years.

“I encourage the athletes to do a chant after every football play,” Knipp said. “I expect them (cheerleaders) to do a minimum of 25 tumbling and 25 jump skills at every game.”

While the overall work can be tedious at times, Knipp said that she enjoys the relationships she shares with her players.

“My favorite part of cheerleading and athletics are the relationships that are built between the coach and the students,” Knipp said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to share in the lives of high school athletes and to plant positive life skills, morals and values in their young lives.”