By Kara Bentz —
Several athletic programs at Morningside College see improvement each year. The goal of any collegiate sports team is to continue improving and growing the program. This year, the Morningside College Cheer and Dance program has exemplified this desired growth.
Lindsey Huber has been the dance and cheer head coach since 2010 with assistants helping her along the way. When Coach Huber first began at Morningside there were only 25 people in the program. This year, there are a total of 50 girls on the Dance Team, Sideline Cheer Team, and Competitive Cheer Team.
The Competitive Cheer Team is one improvement that Coach Huber has implemented in her time here. These three separate teams make up the Dance and Cheer Program.
The numbers prove that the program is growing; however it has not been an easy process. This is because recruitment is difficult for this particular sport. “Recruiting for cheer and dance can be challenging because there are not many statistics or results out there that have detailed information about each athlete,” explained Coach Huber.
One tactic that has been especially beneficial is word of mouth. Morningside’s teams have placed well at recent competitions and when potential recruits see this it brings about more interest in the program. Coach Huber said, “Once recruits visit campus, my goal is to highlight the benefits of being on the Morningside Cheer and/or Dance Teams as well as attending the College itself.”
Not only are the numbers of the program growing, but also the skill level. Coach Huber exclaimed that this is the “most talented and positive group of athletes I have had the privilege of coaching.”
This definitely comes in handy with such a competitive conference. “The Midwest has some of the best NAIA dance teams in the country, so we are in a very competitive area.” Last year, the dance team placed 1st at the NAIA Midwest Regional Competition so this proved that the technique and skill level is competitive with other teams.
The cheer team also shows high skill level. They compete against many co-ed teams, so “they have been placing well considering they are an all-girl squad.”
This year is a new year with a new team, and Coach Huber is optimistic for the future. “I am feeling great about this year’s teams and believe they will both do very well. I am looking forward to it!” Coach Huber and her assistant coaches are working hard to prepare the teams for the upcoming competition season.
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