Cheers to Holland Christian
coach's promotion

Tuesday,
December 11, 2007

By Tim
Murray

The Grand Rapids Press

Holland Christian has turned to
one of its own to lead the Maroons' competitive cheer team as it attempts to
win back-to-back Division 2 state championships.

Darlene Draisma,
who was part of the first competitive cheer team when she attended Holland
Christian, will take over the program after serving as an assistant coach
during last year's title run.

Draisma didn't expect to be in this
position, but when last year's coach, Beth Cunningham, accepted a teaching
job in Hudsonville, Draisma stepped in.

"(Cunningham) told me I would
be her No. 1 recommendation if she got a teaching job and couldn't
coach," Draisma said. "I wasn't really
expecting to get the coaching position, but it ended up that Beth took a job
at Hudsonville, and couldn't make the commute every day."

As the head coach, Draisma's role has shifted from working with stunting and
tumbling to choreography and critiquing routines. Her new role hasn't changed
her outlook for this year.

"I think that we just want to
work hard and have fun again this season, and wherever it takes us, we'll be
happy with," Draisma said.

It was that approach that led
Holland Christian to the state title last season.

"The girls worked so hard
during the season," Draisma said. "I
think their main focus was to just work hard and have fun, and see what we
can do, and that's what we did.

"We had so much fun last
season, and I think that's what added to the success. I think that's what
helped them get that state title."

Despite what Draisma
calls a "powerhouse" senior class coming back to lead the Maroons,
she said she is anxious for the first event of her head coaching career.

"You don't really know how
you're doing until you compete against the other teams and see how their
scores match up," Draisma said. "It will
be kind of fun to see how everyone else is doing and see how we match up with
them."

The Holland Christian program has
come a long way since its inception in 2003. Draisma
was part of that team, which was coached Peggy Lintemuth.
Lintemuth happens to be the mother of outgoing
coach Beth Cunningham.

"It's fun to see how far the
program has come," Draisma said. "It's
fun to see how the girls have changed and how the program has changed."

Competitive cheer

Coach: Darlene Draisma, first year

Conference: O-K Green

2006-07: Division 2 state
champions scored an average of 697.1 points

Top returners: Seniors
Courtney Petroelje, Charlotte Oonk and Sarah Rietema and
junior Katelyn VerHage

Outlook: The Maroons have a
strong senior class to lean on as they defend their state championship.

Coach's comment: "We
just want to work hard and have fun again this season, and wherever that
takes us, we'll be happy with."

Key date: O-K Green preseason
meet at Reeths-Puffer on Jan. 9