Cheerleaders play a big role in getting the school and community involved at sporting events. They work hard to keep the school spirit at a high level and they always do it with a smile. Traci Rayner is the coach of the Hobart High School cheer squad and she says that while her team enjoys cheering, they also love to make an impact on the younger generation.
“The cheerleaders have meet and greets at the elementary school on home game Friday mornings,” she said. “The children love to see the girls and take pictures with them as they enter the building with a ‘good morning’ and ‘have a great day’, a positive start to their day.”
Rayner coached the junior high team for three years before moving to the high school squad, where she has been for six years. She says that she has a great squad that does a great job of keeping the community involved.
“I feel our squad is strong with the game day cheer experience,” she said. “We enjoy leading our student section and the local Hobart crowd from the sidelines with crowd involvement chants, cheers and band dances.”
Senior captain, Katie Walls is proud to cheer and represent her school and help spread schol spirit.
“I enjoy cheering with my friends and having fun together,” Walls said. “I also love helping to promote Hobart pride throughout the community.”
Rayner and her team do a number of different activities throughout the community and school in order to keep everyone involved.
“We have the opportunity to perform several traditional Hobart band dances,” the coach stated. “We love working with our band at both game day pep rallies and football games to help entertain and pump up our crowd. We also have a Pink Out game each football season. We use pink poms, have Fight Cancer t-shirts made, collect donations for our local Relay for Life, and have a pep rally for the entire student body. Our most rewarding fundraiser is working with our youngest cheerleaders kindergarten through fifth grade at our annual mini cheer clinic.
They learn a couple cheers and a dance then perform at halftime of a home game for family and friends. school unity and town spirit.”
