BHS cheerleaders get ready for new season

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

Athletes at Bigfork High School are gearing up for fall sports season, and the cheerleaders are no exception.

This year's squad began practicing a couple of weeks ago and hosted a camp Aug. 14-16. Coaches from Montana State University ran the camp and squads from Livingston and Stevensville attended, with a total of about 35 participants. The main focus was on stunting, but they also worked on dance routines, cheers, stretching and conditioning.

In past years, the Bigfork team has had private clinics with MSU coaches, but this is the first year they have hosted a camp. The girls from the visiting schools, and some of the Bigfork squad, stayed at the BHS gym at night. When they weren't in camp the squads spent time at the lake and checking out Bigfork.

Bigfork cheerleading coach Heather Epperly said that she chooses to have clinics and camps with MSU instructors because they emphasize safety and technique.

"Other national companies do a lot of fluff stuff with the girls," she said. "I'd rather focus on stunting and skills."

BHS junior Kayla Carlson is starting her third year as a member of the cheerleading squad and said that the outlook is good for the team.

"This year looks a lot stronger for stunting," Carlson said. "This year we have a lot better attitude. In past years we've had cheerleaders that didn't really like cheerleading, but this year everyone seems happy to be here and willing to try new things."

The young squad, which includes five freshmen, is rebuilding itself after losing five seniors and one boy. This year's squad has three returning girls and four returning boys, as well as 10 girls that are new to the squad.

"This year we have the guys so we have a lot of power and that's going to be really fun," said sophomore Bailey Vogt, who is on the squad for the second year. "We had the boys last year, but not until later in the year. Everyone can learn everything this year. We get to start over and be a more versatile squad, and our squad will be much stronger this year."

Five of the girls cheer on the varsity squad and eight cheer on the junior varsity squad, but some may move up later in the year if they show that they can work at a varsity level, according to Epperly.

"I've got a young squad and they've never done this before," Epperly said. "But they are learning quickly and they are excited about cheering."

The BHS cheerleaders cheer at football, volleyball and basketball games. The boy members only participate with the squad at basketball games because most of them are on the football team.

"The boys have brought a great energy to the squad," Epperly said. "They are serious about it and they really love it."