Sparta tumblers hope to continue winning pace

Thursday,
January 05, 2006

By Jeff
Chaney

The Grand Rapids Press

The Sparta competitive cheer team had its best
finish at the state finals last season, finishing sixth.

This season, coach Kensey Doolittle hopes to continue the pace but with a
team that lost nine seniors to graduation. Eight athletes from last season's squad
have returned, however.

"Last year the team worked
real hard to get where they got and did a wonderful job," said
Doolittle, whose team was second to Holland Christian in the O-K Rainbow Tier
2. "I am hoping we can keep up that pace.

"We lost a lot of our tumbling
talent, but I think the girls can duplicate last year. We have a lot of
strong juniors who can fill in the spots you lost."

The eight seniors Doolittle will
rely on are Tomi Tomson,
Heather Jansma, Kami
Cowden,

Coley Lockard,
Sarah Raney, Amber Courtier, Courtney Knutson and Jolene Wert.

"Last year we had the drive to
make it to state," Tomson said. "I think
midseason is where we got the confidence that we could make it.

"And now we have something to
live up to."

Doolittle likes her team's
attitude.

"I think this team is doing
well at practice. We'll see what competition will bring. They have been
working very hard. They have a great attitude. They are a great group of
girls."

Said Tomson:
"I hope we can duplicate or better last year. I am always hopeful for
that. I know we are going to try hard. Plus, the material we are using is
very exciting. It has really pumped us up.

"The girls we lost were very
talented. We are younger this year, but the young girls are talented."