LCS cheerleaders receive camp awards

(Sentinel photo by Kelsie Anthony) Le Mars Community football cheer squad recieved five awards at its four-day cheer camp in Okoboji. Front row (from left): Jessica Reuter, Morgan McMurray, Sarah Strub, Chelsea Albus, Mckenna Murphy, Leslie Ruiz. Second row: McKenzie Reuter, Breanne Needs, Morgan Hartman, Megan Moritz, Madelyn Mullally, Allyson Vande Vegte, Jordan Helms, Allie Folkema, Lauren Morehead. The LCS football cheer squad is coached by Karen Fischer. [Click to enlarge]

For the Le Mars Community (LCS) football cheerleaders, summer doesn't include a break from cheers, chants and stunts.

Karen Fischer, coach of the LCS junior varsity and varsity football cheer squads, and her squads recently returned from their fourth year at an UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) camp in Okoboji.

"They learn something new or different each year I take them," Fischer said.

This year 16 girls,13 varsity cheerleaders and three junior varsity, from LCS football squads attended the four-day camp in Okoboji.

Before going to camp, senior football cheer squad members choreographed a routine and taught it to their squad. That routine was also performed at the UCA camp.

Throughout the four days at UCA camp the squad cheers, chants, sideline dance routines, dances and stunting techniques.

According to co-captian Sarah Strub, each squad also gets to know the members of their team and gets some team bonding time.

"I like the environment. Just being around the other cheerleaders and seeing what they can do," Strub said.

Each day at camp the LCS squad and more than 350 cheerleaders from other squads worked for seven hours to learn the newest cheer techniques, dances and stunts from UCA staff.

According to Fischer, the LCS squad also practiced around two additional hours outside of camp classes to improve their routines for the final competition.

During these practices LCS cheerleaders practiced their extreme routine, which is a dance taught by UCA instructors and then added on to by squad members, camp champ cheer and home routine, which is the routine taught by the senior members.

Each of these routines were then performed on the final day of camp and judged on technique, creativity and stunting abilities.

In the home routine, the Le Mars squad placed first in their category. They also placed first in the Camp Champs Extreme Routine and third in the Camp Champ Cheer.

The LCS football cheer squad also received the Superior Squad Award and the Top Banana, which is an inflatable banana passed around to squads that are the most spirited each day. LCS took the banana home on the last day of camp because they were the most spirited throughout the week.

"You can see the difference in the squad from day one to day four. They work so hard and really enjoy the camp,"

said.