Lee flips
over competitive cheer outlook

Tuesday,
December 11, 2007

By
Matt Vande Bunte

The Grand Rapids Press

It started with forward rolls. In
retrospect, it was basically a crawl.

Now in its sixth year, the
competitive cheer program at Lee has gone from back walk overs
to back tucks. And the team just might be running toward its first-ever state
finals appearance.

"This will be the best team
that Lee's ever had," coach Jody Jensen said. "This is going to be
a big year for us. I tell them all the time that Lee could be the next
Grandville."

For a handful of seniors, that was
wishful thinking four years ago when they finished well back in the pack at
the regional competition. But last year the Rebels moved up to third in the
O-K Silver standings and placed fifth at the regional.

A tight-knit group of four-year
cheerleaders have been through it all and are ready to go out with a double
twist.

"A lot of us were beginners
so we really weren't that good (when we started)," Olga Morales said.
"My jumps were horrible. I was not flexible at all."

After three years of dedication
and wanting to get better, Morales now is ready to throw a back tuck at the
competition, and to show that this Lee team isn't the same old Rebels.

"(Opponents) look at us like
we're no competition," she said. "We're going to be the competition
to beat.

"This has taught me how to
work for a team and strive for what you want. Knowing that you're part of
something makes you feel good."

Morales, 17, will take that
attitude with her next year when she plans to attend college and study
landscape architecture, design or psychology. Danielle Dusendang,
the team's flyer, will go to Grand
Valley State
University to pursue a
nursing career, as will Moriah Moore.

"They're all academically at
the top of their class," Jensen said. "They've worked hard to get
where they're at. These kids have high hopes and dreams."

"And the biggest dream, for
the time being, is to make it out of the regional and into the state meet.
That would be a milestone on a long journey for the girls who eased their way
from football cheering into the competitive sport."

"It'd be a huge
accomplishment knowing that after I put all of this into cheerleading that
I'd get something back," said Moore,
17.

And if the Rebels fall short?

"It still bettered my
character," she said. "The way you act in a sport shows how you
will act in life. I love this team."

Competitive cheer

Coach: Jody Jensen, sixth
year

Conference: O-K Silver

2006-07: Third place in
Silver

Top returners: Seniors
Danielle Dusendang, Moriah
Moore, Olga Morales, Keishla Rodriguez and Lluvia Sarabia

Outlook: The Rebels return a
handful of four-year performers and may be the best squad in the
program's six-year history

Coach's comment: "We
have these huge dreams, and if they come true it'll be amazing for this
school and these girls."

Key date: Rebel Invitational
at Lee on Dec. 15