It is not easy to turn the page on an important chapter of one’s life, but that is what the high school’s poms team has had to do. With the departure of their old coaches, questions like who will replace them and how many members there will be have been a hot topic of conversation. But as the new coaches, Mrs. Turner and Ms. Byers, step up to the job and prepare for the new season, they are very hopeful about what is to come for the team.

     If one doesn’t know already, both Turner and Byers work in the counselor’s office, but what is less obvious is that they’re friendship goes beyond working together. The two coaches have known each other since elementary school and have continued to be friends, even dancing together in classes and competitions. So, in terms of coaching, Turner and Byers knowing each other so well has created a great dynamic between them. “We both have the same work ethic, which is very high…we have different strengths that work well,” said Turner. She went on to emphasize that she and Coach Byers work perfectly together, especially when it came to choreography for clinics and tryouts. 

     In terms of the members of the poms team for the coming season, both coaches and returning dancers feel it does not lack talent. Kaelynne Blood, junior, has been on the poms team for her entire high school experience and is one of the last veteran members on the team, but is still excited about the state of the dance squad. “I feel good [ referring to the team],” she said. “I think it opens up a lot of new opportunities. Along with the new coaches, it will be better overall rather than keeping the drama from last year,” said Blood. She is not the only one who feels the team is in good shape. “I’m so excited..even from what we notice in tryout clinics, the openness to help each other…we saw girls that came in that had no dance experience come into tryout and be like a completely different dancer,” said Turner. 

     The 2025-26 group will have 25 girls on the spirit squad, which is the team that will do sideline for football and basketball games, and 14 girls on the competition team, which will do halftime shows and compete as well. There are many things that both Turner and Blood want to accomplish with this group of girls. “Some goals I have for the team are just doing better than we did last year, seeing new talent, using new talent, and just kind of opening up opportunities for those who are trying out,” said Blood. Turner is more focused on making sure the experience is enjoyable for those on the team. “I really wanna raise the school spirit. We don’t really have anything like we wanna win state, we’ll go to competitions, but we aren’t comparing it to last year, we just wanna have fun and some good performances,” said Turner. 

     So, although the team may not have the same coaches or dancers as last season, the poms team is committed to being the best they can and bringing spirit to everything they do.