Thurman White spirit coaches aim high for first year

Thurman White eighth-graders Crystal Pena, Tiera Steill and Jacqueline Ordonez, all 13 years old, dance during the school’s dance team tryouts Sept. 30.

By Diana Cox

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 | midnight

The new coaches of Thurman White Middle School's dance and cheerleading teams are hoping both teams can participate this year in statewide competitions.

Cheerleading coaches Sarah McAfee and Jolene Meissert and dance team coach Zelilah Perez held tryouts for the teams, which were open to all sixth, seventh and eighth graders.

Of 39 girls who tried out for cheerleading and 29 who went through the paces for dance, the coaches chose 14 apiece who will learn the finer points of raising spirit, as well as routines the coaches hope they will eventually perform in competition.

It will be McAfee and Meissert's first year coaching cheerleading and Perez's second year coaching the dance team.

To be eligible to tryout for the cheerleading squad, the students had to obtain a recommendation from a teacher and the dean.

Over four days, the girls were taught a cheer, a dance and a chant, which they performed for three judges on the final day. The girls received points for the three elements, plus points based on the teacher and deans recommendation letters.

Perez required the students trying out for the dance team to learn one routine that included a section they had to choreograph themselves. The students also had to show that they could keep up with the pace of learning the routine and count to the beat of the music.

The middle school teams will act to prepare the students for the next level when they enter high school, the coaches said.

McAfee plans to work with her squad on basic stunts and give them chances to choreograph some of the material.

Perez is also hoping to have her team make up the routines themselves.

That makes sense, Meissert said.

"They are hipper than we are," she said.