Alumna
leads Holland Christian competitive cheer team to top of O-K Green

Cris Greer, The
Grand Rapids Press, February 22, 2009

After a one-year hiatus, Holland Christian
competitive cheer co-coach Beth Cunningham is leading the charge once again.

"I really feel like it's where I'm
supposed to be," said Cunningham, who co-coaches with alumna Darlene
Draisma. "I feel like I'm there with a purpose and happy to be
back."

Cunningham gained experience coaching with her
mom, Peggy Lintemuth, who founded the Maroons' program. In 2007, they won a
Division 2 state championship.

This year, Cunningham and Draisma have led the
Maroons to the school's sixth consecutive O-K Green Conference championship.

"It has worked out just great with
Darlene," said Cunningham, who teaches special education at Hudsonville High School.

Behind strong senior leadership, the Maroons
held off Byron Center for the conference
crown last weekend.

However, earning another trip to the state
finals to compete for the top spot is a completely different story.

"The year we won state, I had a lot of
veteran girls," Cunningham said.

"That was a Cinderella season. And this
team is smaller in numbers than I've ever coached."

Cunningham has 15 girls on the team this year,
compared to the 20 she had on her 2007 state champion team.

"I would love for our numbers to be up, but
at a small school, that's what you get sometimes," said Cunningham,
whose Maroons have won three regional titles. "We do have the biggest
middle school team this year, coached by alum Cate Hoitenga.

"Our team is working very hard and we
hope to move on to regionals," said Cunningham, whose main competition
at districts Saturday was Otsego, Lakewood and Lansing Catholic
Central. "We're going to have to have a really good day to move on to
state."

The Maroons' Division 3 district tournament
was held yesterday at Otsego, where the top-four teams advanced to regionals.

The Maroons are led by seniors Brittani Slenk,
Kelly Marsman and Katelyn VerHage, who were part of the state championship
team.

"They're the only girls on my team that
are in all three rounds," Cunningham said. "I think they know what
it takes."