2004-12-15 The Oxford
Leader

Sports

'Bigger, better,
buffer' cheer team ready to compete

by Teri Stiles

(back
l-r) Libby Ardelan, Ashlee
Morgan-Eller, April Smith, and Jenny Haney, (middle) Ashley Van Atten, Carolyn Debash,
Kelly Mick, Natalie Lukas, Rachael Pollack, (front) Michelle Sekelsky, Jamie Hoffman, Sabina Grusnick,
Aleshia Capogna

Varsity cheerleading Coach Kristy Gibson-Marshall
lost 12 seniors last year but is still confident she has a winning team and
is looking forward to a second year of league competition.

"Losing 12 seniors devastate us but this is just our
reloading year and we'll be okay," Gibson-Marshall said. "We're
just smaller, tougher and we're going to put our heads down and to
it—that's all." "People always under estimate the little
guy," she added.

Last season, the team proved outstanding, winning their
first-ever league title championship.

After six years of no league competitions, the Flint
Metro League hosted two competitions giving Oxford the title with a combined 1318
total points.

"Bigger,
better, buffer" is what it's going to take and "bigger, better,
buffer" is what the team is going to be, Gibson-Marshall said.

With 11 returning competitors including team captains
Sabina Grusnick and Jamie Hoffman, both seniors
with excellent leadership skills, Gibson-Marshall said they should do well
competitively in the league.

"Its the last time out for
them (the two seniors) and they'll do it," she said.

Sophomore April Smith is proving to be a solid leader
with her take-charge attitude, according to the coach

Ready to build a strong future for the team are juniors Aleashia Capogna, Kelly Mick,
Michelle Sekelsky, and fellow sophomores Libby Ardelan, Caralyn Debash, Ashlee-Morgan Eller,
Jenny Haney, Natalie Lukas, Rachel Pollack, and Ashley VanAtten.

With so many juniors and sophomores returning this year
Gibson-Marshall is hoping this season will be a learning experience for
them.

In a scrimmage last week, Gibson-Marshall found even
though the team needs to focus on stunt skills, they showed strength in
tumbling and jumping.

"The trainer, Andy McDonald, and I really condition
them well to get them jumping," Gibson-Marshall said. "We'll do
great if we get stunting down, including conditioning for lifts is what
we'll work on."

When asked which is the team in the
league to beat, the coach confidently answered "we are."

"We've got to overcome our own obstacles and we are
going to," she said.

Academically, Gibson-Marshall said she is proud of her
team that they are all carrying high grade point averages, which the coach
said helps them focus attention to their strength training.

For now, it's time for the team to focus on perfecting
tucks, aerials, walkovers, and back springs before they defend their title
at the Jan. 15 Competitive Cheer Coaches Association Tournament, which will
take place in Oxford.