Fall is upon us, and with it comes the return of high school athletics in the wake of a season riddled with doubts about practices, games, and fun. Jenna Bellamy, the cheerleading coach at Apache, said her squad isn’t letting that doubt carry over.
“They are feeling pretty good,” Bellamy said. “Last year we had a cheerleader get quarantined after regionals, and we had to totally revamp our routine for state. They know that mid-October we will start locking it down and being extra cautious.”
This year is still a banner one for the Warriors cheer squad, as Bellamy said it will be the last one she spends with the team.
“I really love being around the girls,” she said. “I am married to a baseball coach, and have two boys of my own, so this is the closest I’ll get to having a daughter. This will actually be my last year coaching. My husband and I have decided we are going out together. That knowledge has really made us work harder towards our goal of winning state. Cheer used to be just for fun at Apache, and since the OSSAA has added the Gameday competition, we have really changed our expectations for the school.”
Bellamy said the composition of the squad has been helped immensely by the four seniors who lead the team.
“We are returning six members from last years’ squad,” she said. “Our goal this year is to win the Gameday state championship. We made it to the final round two years ago, and last year we finished one spot from the finals. We have added some football boys to help with stunting, and other members of our student body to be flag runners.
When asked about the legacy she wants to leave behind at Apache, Bellamy said she is hyper focused on building relationships.
“I really try to focus on building relationships, both between myself and them amongst each other,” she said. “I think if kids know you care about them, they are more willing to work hard for you. I’m just hoping they’ll continue to participate in competitions when I’m gone.”
