Cheer | Coupeville Sports

Archive for the ‘Cheer’ Category

Na na na na, hey hey-ey, goodbye!!

Posted in Boys Tennis, Cheer, Football, Girls Soccer, Volleyball on October 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Katie Kiel (right) will get two goodbyes, since she doubles as a cheerleader and a volleyball spiker. Sydney Aparicio is staying around for another season. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

We’re still eight months away from graduation, but saying goodbye to Coupeville High School seniors starts Thursday.

Both the Wolf booters (5 PM) and spikers (7 PM) play their final home game of the season that night, with Granite Falls as the visiting team which should lose if they want to show the proper respect.

Then, the next night, the Coupeville gridiron squad (7 PM) will host its last game at Mickey Clark Field, with King’s, the state’s top-ranked 1A squad, as the intended victim.

Having their final bow before the hometown fans will be:

Soccer — Anna Bailey, Vanessa Bernales, Amanda d’Almeida, Haley Marx, Kelsey Miranda, Kelsey Pape, Madison Tisa McPhee, Rachel Wenzel.

Volleyball — Rhiannon Ellsworth, Lauren Escalle, Katie Kiel, Iris Ryckaert, Bessie Walstad.

Football — Riley Boyd, Serigio Guerro, Kole Kellison, Anthony Maggio, Danny Savalza, Paul Schmakeit, Caleb Valko.

Cheer — Nicole Becker, Emily Clay, Holly Craggs, Darian Emerick, Escalle, Jai’Lysa Hoskins, Kiel, Teri Lee, Ryckaert.

And, not to be forgotten, Wolf netters Nathan Lamb and Ben Wehrman are also departing the court (after they whip up on some people at districts and then, hopefully, at quad-districts and state.)

Read Full Post »

Wolf cheer vet spells success L-O-V-E!!

Posted in Cheer, Track on October 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Nicole Becker and a few of her many fans.

Nicole Becker is a big fan of giving back.

She is drawn to the Bible verse at 1 Corinthians 13:13 — “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love,” and it shows in her day-to-day life.

The Coupeville High School senior is always one of the first Wolf cheerleaders to interact with young girls, as shown in the picture above, helping to lay the foundation for future cheer squads. She also devotes a great deal of energy to working with Special Olympics athletes, an activity which brings a great deal of joy to her heart.

“I have been involved my whole life and those people are my whole world,” Becker said. “I spend a lot of my time with them, which I wouldn’t change for the world!”

The infectious good nature which makes her such a valuable addition to the Wolf cheer squad is readily evident on any Friday night, as she stands atop one of the team’s podiums, leading her teammates and firing up the audience.

A four-year vet of the world of pom poms and stunts — she was a member of Coupeville’s most recent competition cheer squad, which placed at state in 2011 — Becker is a cheerleader through-and-through. Even if she has had to adjust to a few of the requirements of the job.

“I became a cheerleader because I have always been a total freak. Seeing how happy the cheerleaders were at football games and how much fun they looked like they were having, I knew I wanted to be one,” Becker said. “Granted, I didn’t like the whole idea of being cold or wearing a skirt, but it has definitely made me a stronger person.”

What draws her to cheer is what draws her to supporting Special Olympics — a sense of family and a chance to become friends on a deeper level than just nodding to someone as you pass them in the school hallways.

“My favorite part about being a cheerleader is being a part of a family with no DRAMA and how we all love and support each other when some girls are down,” Becker said. “I remember when I went through a bad time in life that I always had my girls around to help me through it all.”

And for those morons out there who want to insist that cheer is just an activity and not a sport? You know, the people who have never pulled off a stunt in their life, never kept the smile on their face and the fire in their voice during three hours of cold, driving rain?

Becker is actually very tactful when discussing the subject, but she doesn’t need your stupidity raining on her parade.

“My opinion is that cheerleaders are playing a game of football just like the football players are,” Becker said. “We throw up stunts and have to hold each other up. Well, don’t football players hold each other up?

“I would tell anyone who doesn’t believe that cheerleading is a sport, who brings home trophies? The cheerleaders do!”

As the fall season winds down, Becker still has a winter cheer season and a spring track season, her fourth, (“I just can’t wait to have a season of fun and something to remember!”) ahead. She’s juggling college and high school classes and plans to get her AA at Skagit Valley before moving on to a four-year school.

Through it all, she has the support of many people. Her family, her friends, her fellow cheerleaders and the Special Olympics athletes she works with. And bringing it all together, the people who have helped her find a deeper meaning in her life.

“If anyone was to have an impact on me, it would have to be my loving church family,” Becker said. “The people there are all so loving and I don’t think I’d be the woman I am today without Sylvia Arnold and Ray Shelly.

“They have taught me so much about my faith and my very best friend, Jai’Lysa Hoskins, was the one who got me to come to Christ,” she added. “Without those three people in my life I don’t think I would still be who I am today.”

Read Full Post »

Big time success for Amanda? It’s easy, Fabrizi!!

Posted in Cheer, Girls Basketball, Volleyball on October 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Wolf junior Amanda Fabrizi (16) goes low to make a shot. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Fabrizi launches a serve in a recent match. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

It’s not always easy being Fabrizi.

When you juggle two sports (volleyball and cheer) plus school, plus family and personal life, that can be a bit much. Even for a seasoned pro like Coupeville High School junior Amanda Fabrizi.

“This fall has been crazy,” Fabrizi said. “On the days when I have cheer practice, I go from school to volleyball to cheer. Mondays and Fridays, I usually try to do my schoolwork with the time I have between volleyball and cheer.

“As crazy as my schedule is, I still have a lot of personal time on the weekends, though.”

While her life might seem hectic to an outsider, Fabrizi wouldn’t have it any other way. She loves her sports (she picks up basketball and puts aside cheer in the winter), gets a lot of personal happiness from being on the court and said she couldn’t choose just one of them.

“I don’t have a favorite between volleyball and basketball. I love both of the sports so much and I have great coaches in both of the sports I play,” Fabrizi said. “I love the intensity in both of the sports.

“The support from my family and friends has the biggest impact on my life,” she added. “My family goes to every volleyball game, and my friends always hold a sign for me during my volleyball game!”

Sure enough, a quick look around at any game this season and it’s easy to spot Fabrizi’s personal cheer section, wildly waving their sign promoting #16, Mandy. When she lays out, sacrificing her body for a crucial dig to keep a rally alive for the Wolves, as she frequently does, her fans erupt.

The five-year volleyball vet is justifiably proud of her ability to do the dirty work, but wouldn’t mind fine-tuning a few of her skills enough to earn some more playing time at the glamor positions.

“What I enjoy most about volleyball is the feeling after getting an incredible dig!,” Fabrizi said. “I feel that I am strong at passing and digging up hits.

“I would like to work on hitting; I would love to become a stronger hitter,” she added. “My goals for the rest of the season are to become a stronger hitter, so I can get more back row attacks. For my senior year, my goals are to become a stronger passer so I can play libero again!”

The Wolf volleyball squad seems like an especially close squad this season, even to an outsider. They spend a great deal of time giggling amongst themselves on the court during matches, which promotes a sense of looseness and camaraderie.

After attending four matches in person, I have yet to see a single moment when one Wolf called out a teammate or yelled at them, which has happened on the other side of the court.

“As a team, some of our highlights this season were that we really came together as a team,” Fabrizi said. “We work well together and show a lot of teamwork on the court.”

Away from the court, Fabrizi is a fan of horror and comedy films, enjoys her yearbook class and loves spending time with her friends. She hails local basketball coaches David and Amy King as being especially helpful in her development as both an athlete and a young woman.

“They have really helped me become the person I am today,” Fabrizi said. “They have been very supportive and encouraging!”

So, successful three-sport athlete. Good student. Well-liked in the community, with a strong fan base. Maybe it is easy being Fabrizi.

Read Full Post »

Aparicio loves her fans (and they love her)!!

Posted in Cheer, Girls Basketball, Softball, Volleyball on October 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Controlling the middle ground between teammates Breeanna Messner (5) and Madeline Strasburg, Wolf setter Sydney Aparicio makes the play. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Sydney Aparicio has a large fan base.

Attend any Coupeville High School volleyball match or football game this fall and it’s obvious. From her parents, Mitch and Tami Aparicio, to her grandparents, Cec and Kaye Stuurmans, and tons of other interrelated family members, half the town calls the Wolf junior one of their own.

Whether she’s setting for the spikers or front and center as a key member of the CHS cheer squad, Aparicio always seems to have a huge, beaming smile on her face. And that eternal good-will that flows from her is returned by her vocal rooting section.

Don’t think Aparicio doesn’t notice.

“My parents have a really big impact on my life,” Aparicio said. “They support me so much with everything I do. There’s not one sports event when I don’t look out in the crowd and see them cheering me on.”

They have plenty of events to be at, as Aparicio is a four-sport threat, adding in basketball in the winter and softball in the spring. Toss in academics (she’s especially enjoying an on-line photography course from Skagit Valley Community College), spending time with her friends and a job at Whidberry Frozen Yogurt in Oak Harbor and you have a busy young woman.

But also one who is skilled in the art of finding pieces of time for all her pursuits.

“It takes a lot of juggling and managing my time to do both (cheer and volleyball), but, in the end I enjoy both and wouldn’t have it any other way,” Aparicio said. “It’s hard and it takes a lot of self discipline to go straight from volleyball practice to cheer in an hour, but I make it through.”

Ferocious in guarding the back line, Aparicio frequently spends a good chunk of each match sprawled on the floor, having sacrificed her knees to keep rallies alive. She also teams with Megan Oakes to provide perfectly placed balls lobbed right into the spike zone where heavy hitters Bessie Walstad, Hailey Hammer and Breeanna Messner can pound them off of the outstretched arms of back-pedaling foes.

“I really enjoy volleyball. All of the girls on my team are wonderful, which really helps me enjoy it,” Aparicio said. “I think my strengths are staying positive and encouraging my team; I also don’t get down on myself very easily.

“My goals this year are to get together and really learn to play as a team,” she added. “My personal goals are to get better each game I play and put forth all my effort.”

Aparicio’s hustle and positive mind-set will be crucial as the Wolves (2-8) look to snap a five-match losing streak. With a home rematch Thursday against Sultan, a team they have already beaten this season, there is still potential to go out on a winning note.

“I think our highlights for our team this year was our Sultan game,” Aparicio said. “Even though we lost one of our seniors (Walstad) during the game, we really pulled through as a team and won.”

Read Full Post »

This? Just the best Homecoming photo in the history of the world!!

Posted in Cheer, Homecoming on October 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »

You’re not going to read these words anyway, but, if you’re wondering, you’re looking at a photo by Rosa Felici, that features, from left to right, CHS cheerleader Julia Felici, Rosa’s son (and Julia’s nephew), Drake and CHS cheerleader Mekare Bowen.