MITCHELL – Mitchell’s cheerleading and dance teams are ready for the start of a new season.

The beginning of the year brought additional motivation for all athletes.

The Kernels’ annual home game at the Corn Palace is now the second event of the season in the first week of September, having been moved up from the October date in recent seasons. The change in schedule has prompted girls from both teams to put in a great effort in practice to put on an outstanding performance for the home fans.

“The girls are really pushing themselves to be as good as they can be this early in the season,” said cheerleading coach Alisha Lockhart. “We really want to push ourselves to the maximum level of difficulty so that we not only do well, but perform at the highest level.”

Each team brings back six key performers from last season to provide a calming presence on teams otherwise full of younger players. The competitive cheerleading squad has brought in additional players who already have experience cheerleading on the sidelines, creating a good balance between them and the returning veterans.

The dance team is made up of only three seniors, and half of the team is made up of middle school students. As the girls got a little nervous during practice, returning 12th grader Addisen Vander Wilt was one of the athletes who led by example.

“We have a really young team this year, so we see that they are nervous,” said competitive dance coach Cassey Ver Hey. “Addisen really showed what it takes to get them ready to compete and take away their nerves.”

Adam Thury/Mitchell Republic

Vander Wilt and junior Maddie Walz were considered two of the leading members of the competitive dance team as the Kernels look to improve on their sixth-place finish at last year’s Eastern South Dakota Conference meet and their 12th-place finish at the Class AA state dance championships.

Six-year cheerleaders Jannessa Stevenson and Joslin Sommerville return for their final seasons and form a strong foundation along with returnees Aesia Aldridge and Peightyn Sullivan. Mitchell Cheer earned sixth place at the ESD meet and 12th place at the Class AA state cheerleading championships in 2023.

Much of the early training sessions focused on the technique required for each routine, as the cheerleading competition showcases a comprehensive routine over the course of the season, while the dance competition showcases hip hop and pom routines from the three categories for judging.

Ultimately, it will come down to execution of the routines, as everyone performs at the same time and only has one opportunity to score. While adjustments are made throughout the season, both cheerleading and dance coaches expect athletes to make as few mistakes as possible and show great determination in the early stages.

“We want a clean, safe routine,” Lockhart said. “We don’t want to get points taken away for doing an illegal stunt or for bumping into someone or tripping over a sign. Then we’ll try to improve that performance, jump a little higher and pay a little more attention to the count.”

“I just want to see confidence in a team that young,” Ver Hey said. “I just want them to have the confidence to know what they’re doing (on the field) and that we don’t need to change (our routines) other than making it harder instead of making it a little easier for them.”

The season begins with Mitchell’s cheerleading and dancing at the Aberdeen Central Invitational on Saturday, August 31st. The Kernels’ home game is Thursday, September 5th at 5:00 p.m. at the Corn Palace.

Blake Durham has been a sports reporter for the Mitchell Republic since October 2023. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in communications in December 2022. Durham covers a variety of prep and college sports in the area.