This season the Sandie Steppers danced all the way to the National competition. The competition took place on March 29 in Denton Texas and this competition wrapped up yet another successful season.
Achieving their third National title did not come easy for the Steppers. The girls spent countless hours practicing and perfecting different dances and moves, which allowed them to perform to the best of their ability. Their hard work paid off because the dancers secured first overall in open dance, second in field and hip hop and third in pom. The team scored 95 or more points on each of their dances, which secured them the Gussie Nell Award.
“Competition is always exciting,” Coach Kaylee Morrison said. “There’s a lot of hard work put into each practice, so the ability to bring home a top award at a national competition like that makes it all worth it. I’m just really proud of my team for showing up and doing a good job every day.”
The steppers are proud of themselves and their teammates. They had to learn to be patient and hardworking with one another during the learning process which not only strengthened their dances but their friendships as well.
“7 a.m. practices are difficult no matter what day, but the friendships and people around us are what drive us to achieve our goals,” sophomore Zay Schneider said.
Because the Steppers do not have an off season, they spend the entire year preparing for big competitions like this one. Steppers do not just stumble into these successes; they work hard to earn them.
“I feel like the team as a whole was locked in during practices and really focused on improving, rather than just having fun and messing around,” junior Hannah Stringer said.
According to the dancers, their biggest win will always be their ability to support and encourage other dancers no matter what title or win they take home.
“Being Stepper not only requires hard work and dedication but primarily passion, kindness and respect,” Schneider said. “Taking home a win doesn’t mean anything if we didn’t demonstrate our culture, which includes being kind and cheering on the competition.”
