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In fact, school spirit today is amplified by the addition of eye-popping stunts and a passion for competition. The new image of a cheerleader signifies strength, teamwork and dedication -- three components cheerleaders at Elk Rapids High School know all about.

This winter, the cheerleaders have been pulling double duties while representing Elk Rapids in the first season of Michigan High School Athletic Association competitive cheer and cheering at boys varsity basketball games at home. They even occasionally find time to bake the basketball team cookies.

This year's cheerleading squad at Elk Rapids High School includes eight female members and their coach, Kim Willis. The squad comprises Kendra Dopp, Krissie John, Jessica Deering, Cassie VanWagnen, Jessie Caperton, Courtney Goltz, Tiffany Goltz and Kayla John.

Willis felt inclined to begin coaching five years ago when the position was vacant.

Back then, there was an absence of cheerleaders at her son's varsity football games, and she said she felt like something was missing.

"I just don't think you can have a high school without cheerleading," Willis said, noting its importance in terms of school spirit.

Balancing act
In many ways, students involved with cheer participate in a balancing act, shuffling their school work load with after school games and competitions.

The MHSAA requires a minimum of four scheduled conference meets. The Lady Elks cheerleaders have completed two competitions and will probably have five total this year, with the next set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, in Elk Rapids. The Jan. 31 matchup sets the Elks against teams from Boyne City, Charlevoix, East Jordan, Kalkaska and Grayling.

In the future, Willis said she hopes there will be 10 home performances and 10 competitions.

A competitive cheer competition consists of three rounds of routines: an open jump round, a precision round and a creative round.

In the jump round, the team demonstrates its ability to perform an array of jumps, including the split jump. The precision round involves a 10-count precision drill determined by the MHSAA that includes utilization of five skills like jumps, flexibility and tumbling.

Round three was called the creative round by Willis, and girls are able to exercise more freedom of choice in their performances. The coach said this two-and-ahalf minute round involves no dance and no music.

One of the biggest challenges Willis said the team has faced in preparation for competitions has been finding a proper place to practice techniques like tumbling.

"One of the disadvantages we have here as opposed to downstate schools is the lack of a gymnastics facility for practice," she said. "Gymnastics are a huge part of MSHAA competition. Space is a big factor for us."

Despite this, she has seen major improvements with the onset of the "Finish the Dream" campaign, and things have grown and gotten better for cheerleaders at the school.

"Finish the Dream has not only impacted the football and track teams," she said. "Cheerleaders have a spot to stand now, and they just love that."

Like family
There are two sets of sisters on the squad -- Krissie and Kayla John and Courtney and Tiffany Goltz -- and the cheerleaders have utilized this for extra practice.

Tiffany Goltz said she appreciates the chance for the extra practice time with her sister.

"It's pretty easy because we can practice at home," she said.

The two can be competitive with each other, but because they serve different roles on the team, it isn't a major issue, she said.

"Sometimes we're competitive with skills," she added.

The tight-knit squad has had communicate well and has learned to adapt as their numbers decreased since the beginning of the season. Tiffany Goltz said routines changed often, and she is still working to prepare.

"Memorizing the words for cheers has been a challenge," she said. "We've had to change the routine so many times."

Jessie Caperton said the whole team has been crunching to prepare for the competition.

"I'm trying to work hard to be a better cheerleader by doing some stretching and preparing for tomorrow," Caperton said, referring to a Jan. 17 competition. "We really work hard at our practices."

Competitive muscle
Part of being on the team requires the cheerleaders to weight train to gain the muscle needed to support their teammates during stunts and throws; the strength it takes to hurl another human in the air is significant.

Girls positioned on top of a pyramid or lift structure are typically pretty light, weight-wise, Willis said. In the past, there have been times when the cheerleaders on top were 30 pounds heavier than the generally accepted ideal weight, but the teammates were able to handle the throws just the same on account of their strength, she added.

"You get someone who is a little heavier and you might think they would have a harder time, but they throw her up like she's a rag doll and get just as much height," she said.

Safety is the No. 1 priority of the squad, Willis said.

"Everything that they do, they do really well," she said. "We're really safety oriented here. If something can't be done safely, we won't do it. We won't do any crazy stunts."

In a recent cheerleading competition against Boyne City, Krissie John was injured while performing a stunt that involved balance -- literally. While being lifted, she fell backward in an effort to spare some of her teammates, and she received little break for her fall.

The fall left her with bruising and torn ligaments in her elbow and forearm. But she is already back on top practicing with the team every night after school, performing at games and she even expected to compete at a Jan. 17 against Charlevoix.

Willis said the fall was a result of the cheerleaders' drive to complete their stunt.

"I always tell them safety first, don't force the stunt," she said. "They tried to force the stunt."

Willis added that the structure of the stunt was not stable from the start, but the determined team tried to go with it.

Krissie John said that despite the athleticism in cheering, she feels that at times, cheerleading isn't taken as seriously as other sports.

"In our school, some peers don't consider us as athletes," she said. "Cheerleading, more than any other sport, requires a lot of teamwork."

Willis said her cheerleaders are amazingly strong and resilient, and competitive cheer has really made cheerleading recognized as a girls sport. Cheerleading is far more extensive than many realize, she added.

"It's not like the cheerleaders you see on 'Grease' with their giant pom poms," she said. "They're working out and doing strength training."