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Cheer legend is back (for the red and black)!!

Posted in Big Time Secrets, Cheer, Gossip on September 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Courtney Arnold, on right, and co-captain Tyler Potts, during their days as Wolves.

Football fans will get a little somethin’ extra this Friday.

Inside sources (very hush-hush!!) tell me that former Wolf cheer captain Courtney Arnold, one of the best to ever scream her lungs out on a Friday night sideline, will be in town and back to bring her non-stop energy to this year’s squad.

Arnold, who is currently attending Azusu Pacific University in California, has been working with the current Wolf cheerleaders on a routine which they will debut during Coupeville’s clash with Orcas Island.

So, mark the date on the calender. Plan accordingly. But remember, you didn’t hear it from me.

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Cheer squad gets by with a little help from Sylvia’s friends!!

Posted in Cheer on September 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Cheridan Eck

Sometimes you need a professional for the job.

With Coupeville High School cheer coach Sylvia Arnold’s time severely compromised these days, as she and her family deal with a devastating back injury suffered by her husband, Coupeville Living Hope Foursquare pastor Garrett Arnold, two key members of her support staff have stepped up to assist with the Wolf cheer squad.

Longtime assistant Jenny Cloudy, who had intended to take this year off, is working as a “guest speaker” as CHS prepares for its home football opener against Port Townsend tonight, Friday, Sept. 7.

And new assistant Cheridan Eck, a member of the Seattle Supersonics Dance Team for six years, is handling the day-to-day responsibilities, while remaining in close contact with Arnold.

“I’m keeping things running for her here, and Jenny has been the best at helping me learn the ropes while Sylvia is away,” Eck said. “I have had a great time with the girls one on one, getting to know them. They are all truly amazing!!”

Eck is a woman of many talents, balancing being a military wife and mother of three with also working as a fitness instructor. A professional dancer since she was young, Eck currently teaches Zumba, Bodypump and Bodyflow classes.

“I’m so excited to bring my energy and passion for dance and fitness to these girls by teaching them strength, flexibility and balance in a new and fun way,” Eck said. “Sylvia has been a blessing to this cheer program for years. She is such an inspiration to work with and I know that “Everyday has challenges and through them we will grow stronger”.

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Ex-Wolf cheerleader hopped up on pain meds!!

Posted in Cheer on August 22, 2012| 2 Comments »

The Christensen clan, radiating pure awesomeness.

Best wishes for a fast recovery to former Coupeville High School cheerleader, Miriam’s Espresso barista and one of the nicest people in the world, Shawn (Evrard) Christensen, who emerged from an operating room mere hours ago.

The irrepressible one, wife to CHS grad Billy Christensen and mom to two adorable daughters, had her biceps tendon detached and reattached, a honkin’ bone spur removed and much general cleanup. All hope that this eases what apparently has been the cause of much pain.

In one of those weird coincidences, I sent Shawn a message on Facebook yesterday. It was the birthday of her sister-in-law, Jodi (Christensen) Crimmins, a former Wolf hoops star, Miriam’s barista and one of Shawn’s few rivals for Most Awesome Person in the Universe.

I had a few minutes to kill, the idea suddenly hit me and I sent Shawn a message reminding her of how awesome she was. Little did I know she would be in surgery less than 24 hours later, or I might have said something more profound.

And now, here I am using my sparkling new web site to say what could be said in a Facebook message. And why not? It’s my site and I’ll do whatever the heck I feel like around here.

So, to the whole Christensen/Crimmins clan, one big group “You’re awesome!” and to Shawn, “Glad to hear you’re OK.”

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Felici — it’s Italian for awesome!!

Posted in Cheer, Softball on August 22, 2012| 1 Comment »

Two of Coupeville’s best promoters of school and community spirit, Julia Felici (on left) and Nicole Becker.

There are people who are going through their lives, and than there are people who are making a real difference.

Julia Felici is young, only a junior at Coupeville High School, but the Wolf cheerleader and softballer already falls squarely into the second category.

From raising huge gobs of money for cancer research in honor of a close family friend who fell to the disease, to her work as a worthy adviser with her local assembly of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls — a Masonic youth service organization — Felici is touching lives.

“She’s pretty amazing!! Not that I’m partial or anything,” said Nanette Streubel, mother of Felici’s boyfriend, gridiron giant Nick Streubel.

Did we also mention that she loves her parents (“My Dad has to be my biggest influence. He has always led me by example and puts 100% into everything he does. He’s always taught me that good things come to those who work for it and to strive to be the best I can be.”) and is now taking karate classes with him?

The family that roundhouse kicks together stays together.

Felici comes across as a genuinely nice person, a young woman not out to toot her own horn, which is maybe why she hasn’t gotten a lot of publicity yet.

But she is without a doubt the kind of person a community looks at, takes a second look and then says, “We should all be proud to have her as one of us.”

For her part, she remains refreshingly low-key in describing herself.

“I’m pretty much your normal teenage girl,” Felici said. “I love cows, anything pink or sparkly, hanging out with my boyfriend Nick, spending countless hours on Pinterest, being with my family (especially my nephew Drake) and just being with my friends.”

Her community efforts have included a commitment to Relay for Life, an annual event to raise funds and awareness in the fight against cancer.

“A close family friend died of cancer after a long fight almost two years ago and it made a huge impact on my life and is the reason I am trying to help make a change,” Felici said.

“This year I sold sweatshirts and tote bags that said “fight like a girl” on the front and “support breast cancer awareness” on the back,” she added. “I planned on selling them just for breast cancer awareness month but kept receiving orders and ended up selling them until June. From the sweatshirts and bags alone I raised almost $900 for Relay for Life.”

When she’s not raising money, or fulfilling her duties to the Order of the Rainbow for Girls (“Being worthy adviser is much like being president of a club; I plan a calendar, run the meetings and communicate with all the adults and girls in the assembly. It takes up most of my time when I’m not at cheer”) she is one of the linchpins of Sylvia Arnold’s cheer squad.

A sport she almost didn’t take up.

“I started cheer halfway through football season freshman year,” Felici said. “The first home game of the season I watched from the bleachers and I realized I would much rather be on the sidelines with my friends cheering on the team then sitting on the cold bleachers.

“My favorite thing about cheer, well, at least about our cheer team, is that it’s the only time you can put 28 girls together and we all get along,” she added. “We all work together to accomplish great things.

“As for the physical aspect of cheer I love stunting, the fact that four girls can throw a girl in the air, have the girl do a 360 then catch her, will always amaze me.”

For those out there clinging to the antiquated notion that cheer is not a sport — we’ll call them idiots — all you have to do is watch one practice as Arnold cracks her (peppy, good-natured) whip.

“Cheerleading, just like any other sport, requires strength, determination and teamwork,” Felici said. “We go to competitions just like any other sport.

“I personally think cheer is one of the best sports because 90% of the time, the effort we put in to perfect our stunts and memorize our cheers is for the sole purpose of cheering on our friends and peers on the court and on the field,” she added. “We work hard to support others and bring spirit to the community.”

A community that is blessed to have a gem like her among us.

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Kiel juggles sports, life, Tumblr addiction!!

Posted in Cheer, Girls Basketball, Volleyball on August 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

In this photo by Pam Headridge, Wolf cheerleaders Emily Clay (on left) and Katie Kiel share some love after a paint/water war to end a summer cheer camp.

Katie Kiel is busy.

“I guess I’m just like any other teenage girl,” she said. “I love to talk, I have a Tumblr addiction, I’m always listing to music, and not a lot of people know this, but I’m such a nerd. I love to read. I’m usually in the middle of four different books at a time.”

Oh, wait, did we also mention the Coupeville High School senior plays outside hitter for the Wolf volleyball squad, cheers (that calls for double duty in the fall) and goes hard to the hoop as a post/wing player for the CHS hoopsters? As we said, she’s busy.

“I plan to juggle volleyball and cheer this year, and I plan to do so successfully,” Kiel said. “I have done it in years past, as well as my other fellow team mates.

“I guess it’s hard to juggle it all, from cheering at Friday night football games, volleyball Monday-Friday, and homework, of course, to my home life and my friends,” she added. “It seems like a lot, but staying busy keeps me from making trouble, I guess. The hardest thing to do is find time to eat.”

It helps that younger sister Kacie (“My family means the world to me, especially my sister. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be who I am today!”) is also an athlete, so the entire family can move as one. Both Kiel sisters will be looking to make an impact for Toni Crebbin’s spikers, who lost a chunk of key players to graduation.

“For volleyball, I plan to strive for my best in every way,” Kiel said. “If that’s not missing a single serve or going for every ball I will always try my hardest.

“As for the team, I hope we do as well as I know we can,” she added. “We always work together really well and I hope to keep that up.”

Press the multi-tasker on which of her sports is her favorites, and even the whirlwind Kiel has to take a pause.

“Ohhh … a favorite sport … hmm … that’s tough now. I enjoy so many things about each one,” Kiel said. “I love my cheer ohana. They keep me smiling. Volleyball is just … there’s no words that describe how I feel when I’m on the court with the team and we just have this amazing rally and win the rally. That’s gotta be the best feeling ever.”

And, while she enjoys all of her sports and mentions her appreciation for Crebbin and cheer coach Sylvia Arnold, she gives a (very slight) edge to basketball coach David King as her top mentor. His brand of tough love, with an assist from wife and fellow coach Amy King, has helped shape her as an athlete and a successful young woman.

“I have to thank all my coaches and teachers for never giving up on me,” Kiel said. “Out of all of the coaches I’ve had throughout my life, I think Coach King has stood out to me the most. He doesn’t sugar coat anything. If you need to practice more then he won’t hesitate to tell you. Sometimes he can get on my nerves, but I know it’s all to better myself as well as the team.

“I think the way that he and Mrs. King coach is very helpful,” she added. “They can come up with plays at the snap of a finger and they are so well explained that it’s a breeze to run. I enjoy the way they coach.”

Quick to spread the love, Kiel doesn’t forget her teammates, who she reserves a special place for in her heart.

“Without the help from my teammates I’d be nowhere. We are all like one big family and you can tell just by looking at us,” Kiel said. “They each have their own talent that they contribute to the team and in each way they make us stronger and better. I want them to know how much they mean to me and no amount of words can ever describe how much I’ve loved playing with them these past years.”