Coupeville Sports

Katie Lovell

A new high school sports year approaches and the Coupeville High School cheer squad is hard at work.

To get you ready, we present a series of features on Wolf cheerleaders, with the headline to each article paying tribute to 2009’s “Fired Up!,” the best cheerleader movie ever made.

Yeah, you heard me the first time, “Bring it On.” I said it and I meant it.

“Call me a nerd, but I love science!”

Dispelling the myth that cheerleaders can’t be brainy, CHS senior Katie Lovell smartly combines book learnin’ with pom pom wavin’.

“Science has been one of my favorite classes since fifth grade. Mainly anatomy and areas like that,” Lovell said. “Another thing is music. Choir and the piano have been a big part of my life since middle school.

“In my spare time I like to try to find new songs to play,” she added. “Or just spend time with friends.”

It was a new friend, fellow Wolf senior Destiny Bitting, who convinced Lovell, who moved to Coupeville from Indiana as a junior, to try cheer for the first time this season.

“Destiny talked me into joining the team,” Lovell said. “I thought it would be a good way to be a part of the school and join in and meet new friends.”

Her new teammates have welcomed her with open arms, making the transition to a new town, school and sport that much easier.

“I love the feeling it gives me, so far, with even just the practices,” Lovell said. “All the girls on the team have been amazing with making me feel like part of the team.

“We are all so full of spirit when we work together,” she added. “The feeling of accomplishment too, when I learn something new, is just great.”

Lovell, who is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters, credits her family for providing support and guidance in her life.

“My family has played a really important part in who I am today,” Lovell said. “They’ve always been really supportive about what I want to do.”

While she’s new to the sport, Lovell has already come to appreciate the commitment and sweat required behind the scenes to ensure the team’s performance comes off as fresh and first-rate come game time.

“Cheering involves just as much hard work and training as any other sport,” Lovell said. “We have camps, workouts, training, and practices just like the others.

“And regular clubs or activities don’t get together and throw people in the air. That takes not only hard work and strength, but trust in our other teammates,” she added. “It’s not as easy as TV and the media make it out to be, but, in the end, it’s fun and invigorating.”