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Posts Tagged ‘Cheer’

Destiny Bitting (John Fisken photo)

Destiny Bitting, during her junior year. (John Fisken photos)

Bitting (second from right), with fellow Wolf cheerleaders (l to r) Sylvia Hurlburt,

   Bitting (second from right), with fellow Wolf cheerleaders (l to r) Sylvia Hurlburt, Emily Licence, Robin Cedillo and Camilla Rische.

Bitting (right) and Brittani

Bitting and Brittani Wilkinson get colorful during a cheer camp.

Destiny Bitting shares at least two things with Beyoncé.

They have the same birthday — Sept. 4 — though the singer is a few years older than the Coupeville High School senior. And also, both are larger-than-life showmen.

Or, more appropriately, show-women.

Destiny has channeled her entertainment energy into the world of cheer-leading and it has paid off nicely.

A Wolf captain this year, she’ll be easy to spot, as she’s usually out front through football and basketball seasons.

Loud ‘n proud, Bitting is a vital part of Wolf Nation, one who has learned to deal with a serious heart condition without letting it slow her down.

She may not get the huge headlines and 24/7 media coverage that her birthday mate does, but Destiny makes an impact on her town every day, through her actions, her words and her sublime grace.

Happy birthday, Miss Bitting.

The rest of the world may spend the day ranting and raving about Beyoncé, but you’re the real superstar here.

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Julia Felici

Julia Felici

Athlete. Role model. Loving aunt. In-freakin-credible cookie baker.

Julia Felici is all this and so much more.

The Coupeville High School grad, who celebrates her birthday today, did a lot of things during her time as a Wolf and did them all well.

Cheer, track, basketball, softball, Homecoming royalty and then it’s on to her work with The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls.

She doted on nephew Drake, had the good sense to be close friends with the impeccable Mekare (Greatest Living Person?) Bowen and was one of the biggest fans of her fellow classmates, showing up at practically every athletic event she wasn’t already playing or cheering at.

Two moments will stand out for me when it comes to Miss Felici.

On the basketball court as a junior, she was a scrappy ballhawk. Only one thing was missing — she rarely shot the ball, always looking to set up her teammates.

Late in the season, Wolf JV coach Amy King was trying to make sure every girl on her roster had reached the scoring column, and she tried to feed the ball to Felici.

The first couple of times failed, as Felici dished the ball to an open teammate, playing smart, unselfish basketball.

And then, out of nowhere, came the moment.

Felici caught the ball, started to pass and instead spun, and, channeling Kobe Bryant for a moment, pump-faked her defender out of her shoes and drained a sweet fall-away jumper from the top of the key.

King’s jaw hit the ground, the people in the stands went bonkers and Felici, shy smile flickering across her face, merely turned and charged back down court to pick up her man on defense.

The second moment, however, might have been the sweetest.

That came when Julia baked me a batch of mind-melting chocolate chip cookies to “bribe” me into running a story about a middle school dance she was putting on as part of her regular community service.

I still dream about those cookies. Epic, technicolor dreams of cookies running and jumping in the clouds and then splashing down into my mouth.

Well, yes… Moving on.

Now, as she heads off to college and further adventures in being awesome, let’s take a moment to wish Julia the best.

And, if she ever finds herself with too many cookies just sittin’ around the house, possibly going to waste, um, you know where I live and may I remind you, I have a VERY big mailbox.

Just sayin’.

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Bursting with spirit are (l to r) Nicole Becker, Lucas Etzell and Jai'Lysa Hoskins.

Bursting with spirit are (l to r) Nicole Becker, Lucas Etzell and Jai’Lysa Hoskins.

Loud 'n proud.

Loud ‘n proud.

"Ooh, when I get off this bench, I'm coming for you all!!"

“Ooh, when I get off this bench, I’m coming for you all!!”

Sweetest smile, nastiest elbows in the biz.

Jai’Lysa Hoskins was born to be a cheerleader. Bright, personable, friendly, outgoing, full of spirit, with a laugh that could be heard across the gym.

But she was also a tough-as-nails competitor on the basketball court and track oval.

Blessed with lightning bolt speed, Hoskins helped Coupeville High School’s relay teams blitz to state medal-worthy times.

When it came to hit the hard-court, she laid down the wrath of her elbows on anyone stupid enough to get between her and a rebound.

Jai’Lysa would always pick up her opponents after they hit the ground, but she would make sure they often found that floor first.

You DID NOT try and take the ball away from her.

As the former Wolf great, one of the most joyful of CHS alumni, celebrates her 19th birthday today, we send Jai best wishes and turn to her close friend, Nicole Becker, for a few words on what Miss Hoskins means to her:

Today happens to be my best friend’s, partner in crime, jelly to my toast, milk to my cereal, laces to my shoes, my sister’s birthday.

17 years ago I was blessed to have her come into my life and amazingly today she’s stuck it out with me.

19 years ago you appeared in this world and have changed lives little by little.

Jai, I am so excited for what this year of life has in store for you and I love you ’til death do us part.

You’re my person. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Now let’s have fun!!

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cvheer camp (Cheridan Eck photo)

Part of the CHS cheer squad poses after a recent camp. (Cheridan Eck photo)

The loudest, proudest cheer squad in all the land is spending the summer getting ready for Friday Night Lights.

The Coupeville High School cheerleaders are busy working on routines and attending cheer camps, putting in the effort now so their routines will pop come game time.

Wolf coach Cheridan Eck, who has taken over full-time after the retirement of 20-year vet Sylvia Arnold, has 20+ girls set for her fall squad.

A couple of other girls (Ally Roberts, Bree Dagineault, etc.) are slated to join the Wolves in the winter when the cheerleaders go inside for basketball season.

The (fairly) official football season cheer roster:

Freshmen:

Jessica Bester
Ayanna Jeter

Sophomores:

Robin Cedillo
Lainey Dickson
Kiara Mercedes
Payton Wilson

Juniors:

Allison Dickson
Jovanah Foote
Jazmine Franklin
Sylvia Hurlburt
Maddy Neitzel
Julianne Sem

Seniors:

Destiny Bitting (captain)
Bella Cedillo
Makayla Clavette
Amanda Foley
Katie Lovell
Kylie Marie (captain)
Ashlyn Miller
Camilla Rische
Ciera St. Onge
Brittani Wilkinson

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Katie Lovell

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.”

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