Getting ready for practice

The old adage "Practice makes perfect" is something the Green River High School Cheerleading Squad tries to live by.

Assistant coach Burgandy Schmitt said the squad's first big performance during the summer all ready took place at the Flaming Gorge Days Parade. The cheerleaders walked through the parade doing a dance for the spectators.

The next big appearance will be at Green River's first football game.

Even though the football game is about a month away, the squad is already working on jumps, motions, cheers, dances and stunts. This year, the squad will have 31 cheerleaders-- 27 girls and four boys.

In July, the boys and girls attended a four-day camp in Montana where they learned dances, cheers, stunting technique, jumps and also motions.

"We have also provided opportunities for cheerleaders to attend tumbling camps both locally and non-locally to help advance their skills," Schmitt said.

Schmitt is familiar with the cheerleading scene, which helps her greatly in her assistant coach role. She cheered for GRHS when she was in high school. She then went onto cheer at the University of Wyoming. After she graduated college, she returned for her job and attended a couple of cheer practices. One of the coaches asked her last year if she want to be the tumbling coach. She took on that role. At the end of the year, they asked her if she could be the assistant coach; and she obliged.

She is excited about the new challenge; and ready to help head coach Tim Chilcott out.

"We have been having review sessions since June. We started having them for the Flaming Gorge Days parade and have continued through out the last few months," she said. "We don't officially start practice until August, but we like to prepare the girls that want to come and get a head start for the season"

With 11 new cheerleaders this year, the group decided to get a head start and work on some of the cheers and dances.

"We haven't put together any routines, but as for dances and cheers we ask returners to give up some of their free time to help new girls learn their cheers and dances," Schmitt said. "They are also welcome to come to some of the review sessions throughout the summer." 

Currently, the cheer squad has been practicing at Monroe Intermediate School's campus, but sometimes they go to the wolves stadium, which is where they will cheer for the season.

"They can attend any of the summer review sessions that happen two to three times a week," Schmitt said. "It is important for the girls to work together and learn from their new teammates the skills it will take to be a GRHS cheerleader and how to represent their school in a positive way."  

"The GRHS cheerleaders are excited for their new season and look forward to cheering on all of the upcoming high-school events," she said.