Schmidt sisters lead Kenowa Hills Knights to cheer finals

by Jonathan Kollnot

Monday March 17, 2008,
3:07 PM

Supplied photo

Sisters Kami and Marissa Schmidt both
competed for the Kenowa Hills varsity cheer team this season.

WALKER --
When Kami Schmidt walked off the mat at the
DeltaPlex Arena, March 8, she had tears in her eyes. So did her mother,
Melody.

Kami, a
senior at Kenowa Hills, had just finished her final cheerleading performance
as a Knight at the Division 2 state finals. She also had just completed her
first and last season performing on the same team with her little sister,
freshman Marissa Schmidt.

Both Marissa and Kami
have been cheerleading since they were little girls, but they had always
dreamed of competing on the same team. That dream became a reality this
season when Marissa moved up to the varsity squad and Kami
became the lone senior on a squad that won the regional championship and
advanced to the state finals for the first time in school history.

The sisters had been cheerleading on separate
teams since they were in rocket football in the second grade, but due to the
age difference, they never had the chance to compete on the same team. Melody
Schmidt stressed that it was an extra special season for both Kami and Marissa.

"It was their first and only year
cheerleading together, and they just worked really well together," said
Melody. "The neatest thing to see is that they've been really supportive
of each other. Kami was a great role model in the
big sister role, and Kami's great at keeping a
positive attitude and showing great sportsmanship, no matter what
happens."

Kami is
both a big supporter and role model to Marissa, but the season almost didn't
happen for Kami. On Oct. 3, Kami
broke her foot and sprained both her ankles, but she worked diligently to
recover in time for Kenowa's first meet of the
season. The Schmidt sisters competed together in round two this season, and Marissa competed in all three rounds.

In addition to cheerleading, the Schmidt sisters
have been involved in gymnastics and dance since they were both 3 years old.
They also have both ran track, and Marissa has played soccer.

Melody said that Kami
is not sure yet it she will try to get involved in cheerleading on the
college level, but she plans to either study journalism or psychology in
college.

The Knights' state-final appearance should bode
well for the future, with this underclassmen-heavy team returns everyone but
Kami next season. KH head coach Brenda Looks is thrilled with her teams'
finish and emphasized the special kind of season the Schmidt sisters had.

"Marissa as a freshman really stepped up and
did an awesome job this year," said Looks. "They worked really well
together and were very supportive of each other. That's really great to see
in sisters like that."