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Archive for the ‘Cheer’ Category

Kiara Burdge: A cheer force of nature. (John Fisken photos)

Kiara Burdge: A cheer force of nature. (John Fisken photos)

Burdge has a big megaphone and she's not afraid to use it.

Burdge has a big megaphone and she’s not afraid to use it.

Kiara Burdge exudes cheer.

The Coupeville High School junior, who celebrates a birthday today, is among the most outgoing, full-of-life athletes to be walking (or skipping) across the campus.

Much like older sister Kylie, she is an absolute force of nature when at the forefront of the Wolf cheer squad.

Some people mouth the words and do the moves, while others believe in cheer deep down in their souls, and Kiara has always seemed like the second sort.

Her kicks are just a little crisper, her yells a little louder, her faith in the classmates she supports just a bit deeper than the average cheerleader.

There never seems to be a moment when she is anything other than sincere and committed to the cause.

Miss Burdge lights up the sidelines with her presence and it carries over into the real world, as well.

Aaron and Trina Burdge have four children who greet each new day as an adventure, and, from what I have seen, take great delight in being part of a fun-loving pack.

With Kylie off in college these days, bringing her spark and love of life to the Brigham Young University campus, Kiara has taken the helm of the younger Burdges and proven to be a worthy leader in her own right.

As fans, we only see a slice of the Wolf athletes lives, but it still allows us to get a pretty good feel for what kind of people they are.

With Kiara, as valuable to the CHS cheer squad as she is — if she’s not named a captain next year, my jaw will never reattach itself after falling off my face — she’s ten times the person.

Smart, deeply caring to her friends and siblings, committed to her Mormon faith, Burdge is a shining star in our community.

She is one of our best and brightest, and, as she celebrates her cake day today, I hope Kiara knows how highly everyone thinks of her.

Happy birthday, Miss Burdge. May your star keep twinkling for a very long time, getting brighter with each new year.

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Jazmine Franklin, lighting up the universe every day. (John Fisken and Jazmine Franklin photos)

   Jazmine Franklin, lighting up the universe every day. (John Fisken and Jazmine Franklin photos)

Most days at Coupeville High School, it seems like there are two suns hung in the heavens.

There’s the real sun, and then there’s Jazmine Franklin, who easily outshines the star above.

The Wolf senior, who celebrates her birthday today, radiates pure joy every time I see her.

Even when she’s fully invested in playing the role of a stone cold killer while posing for photos with cheer running mate/best bud Maddy Neitzel, Jazmine can’t help it — she makes the world a happier place with her presence.

Frankly, there’s nothing Franklin can’t accomplish when she sets her mind to it (at least as far as I’ve seen).

Bouncing madly from cheer to tennis to guiding the school’s executive board, she nails everything she does, while dispensing dollops of joy everywhere she goes.

Every single time I have seen Jazmine, the first thing you notice is how everyone in her immediate vicinity is smiling. It never fails.

She seems to bring out happiness in others, and she remains one of the most enduring fans her fellow Wolf athletes have.

If there’s an event, she’s there, game in, game out, and not just for a quick moment or two.

She’s loyal to her friends and classmates and backs them every step of the way.

Based on what I see and hear, I can’t help but think that, as talented as she is now, we have only begun to see the tip of what Jazmine will accomplish.

We turn around a few years from now, as she wows the entire world, and it will be easy to say, “Told you so.”

I don’t see any limits on where she goes and what she accomplishes.

Miss Franklin is truly one of those rare people who will soar as high as she chooses to reach.

And the best part is, how happy all of us will be for her, because she emits such serene joy into the universe and deserves to receive it back.

Happy birthday, Jazmine.

I hope your cake day is an awesome one, and I hope you keep spreading joy for many more.

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CHS cheer captain, and birthday girl, Allison Dickson. (John Fisken photos)

CHS cheer captain, and birthday girl, Allison Dickson. (John Fisken photos)

Dickson shares the stage with co-captain Sylvia Hurlburt and Wolf coach Cheridan Eck.

   Dickson shares the stage with co-captain Sylvia Hurlburt and Wolf coach Cheridan Eck.

Getting a boost from Jovanah Foote (left) and sister Lainey Dickson.

  Getting a boost from Jovanah Foote (left) and lil’ sis Lainey. (Lisa Dickson photo)

Can’t celebrate Christmas without cheering on Allison Dickson.

Seriously, cause the Coupeville High School senior was born on Christmas Eve and her legend has just grown from there.

A dedicated part of the Wolf cheer squad, Allison rose to the captaincy this year, where she and Sylvia Hurlburt were benevolent (and loud ‘n proud) rulers.

As she celebrates her birthday today, Dickson is a vital part of one of Coupeville’s best sports families.

The Dicksons (older brother Jared was a Wolf football and soccer standout who is now off on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, while lil’ sis Lainey is also a key member of the CHS cheer squad) have always been class acts.

I would assume parents Randy and Lisa are proud of the trio, who reflect extremely well on their family, their town and their faith.

I can’t say that I know the Dicksons all that well on a personal basis, but as a fan, always lurking there in the background with an eye on things, I have been absolutely impressed with them.

You could use a lot of words to describe today’s birthday girl, words like exuberant, cheerful and a leader.

But if you had to pick one, and stay with one, it is that — class.

Dickson has exuded that every day, in every way, during her time on the sidelines at CHS.

She comes across as a smart, dedicated young woman, open to helping others and a great role model for young cheerleaders just coming up through the system.

Allison shines now, and I have little doubt she will go on to amaze us all in her future endeavors, much like her brother before her, but, while she’s still here, due respect should be paid for the way she conducts herself on a daily basis.

She is one class act, and she makes her town and her school better for her presence.

I know this from what I see and also from what I hear from other fans.

Happy birthday, Miss Dickson, and thank you.

Whether you realize it or not, your fan club is huge and all of us wish you the very best, today and every day.

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Kaela Hollrigel (John Fisken photos)

Kaela Hollrigel gets festive. (John Fisken photos)

Jovanah Foote

  Jovanah Foote prepares to unleash total freakin’ cheer destruction on the crowd.

Unpaid "assistant coach" Aubrey Eck shows 'em how it's done.

Unpaid “assistant coach” Aubrey Eck shows ’em how the high kicks are done.

Robin Cedillo

   Robin Cedillo touches the heavens, with a little assist from (l to r) Mckenzie Meyer, Claire Mietus and Heather Nastali.

Julia Borges

Julia Borges waves goodbye to the 2015 portion of the 2015-2016 school year.

It was their final performance before the winter break, and they slayed it.

Going out on top Friday, the Coupeville High School cheer squad tore up the joint with their halftime show, while still finding time (and vocal energy) to be appropriately loud ‘n proud all night as they cheered on the Wolf boys’ hoops squad to a win over Concrete.

The photos above, courtesy travelin’ photo man John Fisken, capture a bit of the flavor from the Wolves’ halftime show.

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Julie Bucio (John Fisken photo)

   Wolf freshman cheerleader Julie Bucio takes a break from performing at a CHS basketball game. (John Fisken photo)

Bucio hangs out with

   Bucio (left), hanging out with fellow cheerleader Brittany Starr. (Photo courtesy Bucio)

Being a cheerleader has been a life-long dream for Julie Bucio.

Now, the Coupeville High School freshman is living the dream on a daily basis, and it’s been everything she hoped for, and more.

“I’m doing cheer because I wanted to meet more people and always wanted to do cheer ever since I was young,” Bucio said. “I always thought it was the coolest thing to do.”

She’s one of 10 Wolves who made the jump from the fall cheer squad to the winter team, taking her spirit and hard work indoors for basketball season.

A firm believer in the CHS cheer program’s dedication to Ohana, being a family, Bucio has picked up a ton of new sisters along the way.

“The thing that I mostly enjoy about doing cheer is all the wonderful new friends I have made,” she said. “They always seem to put me in a good mood.

“Also, I enjoy pumping up the crowd!”

While her school still considers cheer an activity, as opposed to a sport, Bucio, having gone through the behind-the-scenes work, begs to differ.

“I feel like it’s not a activity, it’s a sport because we actually work as hard as all the other sports,” Bucio said. “Cheerleading is not all about wearing cute uniforms; we actually work out and try to perfect our routines, which is a lot of work, if you ask me!”

When she’s not cheering, Bucio is involved in choir (“so that kind of keeps me busy, too”) and enjoys science class (“I just love science and I think it’s very interesting”).

She also plans to cap a busy first year of high school by possibly playing tennis in the spring.

Whether it’s sports, class work or day-to-day life, Bucio is grateful for her friends and family, who are always there to support her.

Her parents have always been her biggest boosters.

“I have to say a person who has really impacted my life is my mom!,” Bucio said. “She is always there for me, no matter what, and she supports my decisions and is always by my side and I love her for that.

“My dad also has been there for me too,” she added. “He always supports my decisions too and has my back!”

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