New
coach to help team cheer its way to victory

Richard Zowie

The
Oxford Varsity Competitive Cheerleading Squad is (first row, left to
right): Trinette Coleman and Bri
Vasha; (second row, left to right): Jackie Colon,
Britt Resk, Samantha Hein, Kendall Burr and
Brittany Cavanaugh; (third row, left to right): Alyssa Kasdorf,
Lisa Flasher, Keeona Ives, Olivia Hernandez,
Melanie Crumbaugh and Brittany Kirby.

December 03, 2008 - Another year for Varsity
Competitive Cheerleading at Oxford
brings new faces, including one at the top position.

Head Coach Shari Russell is in her first season
as the coach. Previously, she coached at Warren's Center Line High School.

"We have a very young team this
season," she said.

Indeed they do. Of the 13 girls on the team, more
than half are freshmen. Only three are returning from last year's squad;
there are two juniors and only one senior.

The members
are: senior Trinette Coleman (a returner); juniors Keeona Ives (a captain and returner) and Britt Resk; sophomores Brittany Cavanaugh and Samme Hein (both returners while Hein is a captain) and
Melanie Crumbaugh; freshmen Kendall Burr, Jackie
Colon, Lisa Flasher, Olivia Hernandez, Alyssa Kasdorf,
Brittany Kirby and Bri Vasha.

Russell sees the team's youth as both a strength
and disadvantage. As a strength, they're very
positive, work very hard and are a close team. As a weakness, they lack
overall experience in their skills and in competition.

The team looks to be very busy this season when
it comes to competition. The varsity cheerleaders will participate in three
competitions in the Flint Metro League, which are then added together to
determine the league winner.

"We also have invitationals
all over Michigan," Russell added.

The team will be completing at events at Lapeer
East, Brandon, Grand Blanc and Fenton, along with district meets. The top
four teams at district move on to regionals, and the
top four at regionals move on to state.

The coach figures Brandon and Lapeer West will be
the toughest opponents.

"To be successful, we'll need to work hard,
stay positive and condition–something we do a lot of," Russell
said. "We need to perfect our timing and precision."

They'll be doing that as they practice five times
per week. The Varsity Competitive Wildcat Cheerleaders' first competition is
Dec. 13.