All or nothing' theme of Bobcat 2008-09
cheerleading season

December 11, 2008

While the 2008-09 varsity Bobcats competitive cheer team is missing some
veterans, there remains a majority of seniority, so to speak. Houghton Lake
Varsity Cheer Coach Celeste Kubiak said this
year's 14-member team consists of nine seniors.

However, a few cheerleaders from last year's state-qualifying team did
not try out this year.

"I lost some key girls who chose not to compete this year," Kubiak said, including Meredith Sny
and Kelsey Weber and flyer Victoria Smith.

Rounding out the team are one junior and four sophomores. The three
flyers are Alexis Bechill - the lone junior -
senior Danielle Ritchie and sophomore Dominique Csapo.
Alternate flyers are senior Chelsie Roose and senior Jenna Witfoth.

Kubiak said this year's theme is "All or
nothing - we won't back down."

While the team is slightly smaller than in the past, the cheerleaders
are working to make every move perfect, Kubiak
said.

"We're working on team standing back tucks," she said, adding
"I have strong back spotters."

Houghton Lake JV Coach Becky Homan said she has mainly freshmen on her
team, many of whom have not cheered before.

"They have been working extremely hard," Homan said.

This year's theme is "Take a chance."

The junior Bobcats will cheer at their first competition Jan. 15 at
Roscommon.

In Roscommon, the Bucks' Varsity Coach Vickie Alexander said the varsity
team has 10 members, including one senior, Cara Johnson.

"We're doing the best that we can do," Alexander said, adding
that having no JV team "makes it hard."

She said there is a competitive cheer group sponsored by 4-H (which
sponsored the high school's football cheerleading season, after that season
of cheerleading was dropped from the school budget). She said she is
planning on having the 5th-through-8th grade girls on the 4-H team cheer at
the varsity's Jan. 15 competition.