The Bomber Dance Team is a little over halfway done with the season, but is not done with improvement yet. After losing 7 talented seniors last season, the team has had some big shoes to fill, and many of those are by young athletes. The team spent the beginning of the season training those not-so-experienced athletes to understand how this Varsity sport works and what kind of work goes into a successful season. After some rough patches, the team has found what works best for them in hopes of continuing the 23-year streak to the Minnesota state tournament. Taylor Reed, Lizzie Tipton, and Head Coach Jamie Swenning commented on how their season has looked so far.
This is 8th grader Lizzie Tipton’s second year in the varsity kick floor and first year in the varsity jazz floor. She explained that her goals were to improve her turns and get closer to the team. This team is very closely knit, and it feels like a second family for most of the athletes. Tipton explained, “My team is hoping to improve on the timing of our dance and just being in sync and getting higher scores.” A big part of dance is the score sheet. That is how dancers understand that they are improving week by week, and to know what is working and what isn’t. Lastly, Tipton stated that what pushes her the most throughout the season is thinking about pushing herself to the max because she knows it will pay off at the end of the season.
Next, junior Taylor Reed has been on the varsity kick floor since 8th grade and the varsity jazz floor since 9th grade. She explained that some of the team’s biggest challenges so far were losing seven seniors last year and having to fill their extremely large impact. The team is pushing many underclassmen to dance at the varsity level, and that can be very hard sometimes. The varsity team has three 7th graders dancing on the varsity kick floor so far, and that has never happened in the team’s history. This shows the young athletes’ talent that they have brought to the team. Lastly, Reed stated, “Our team’s goals for the remainder of the season are to get closer as a team and value the time together that we have left. Additionally, another goal is to get 2 medals around our necks at sections, meaning we are going to the state tournament for both dance styles.”
Lastly, Head Coach Jamie Swenning has been a part of the Bomber coaching staff for 15 seasons now. When asked what the team’s biggest strengths and weaknesses are, she explained that their strengths are their team bond, willingness to be open-minded, work ethic, positive attitudes, and determination to improve and reach goals. On the other hand, their weaknesses are having a young team after losing 7 seniors last year and battling injuries and illnesses. She also spoke on the team’s goals as they near postseason, in which they continue to become stronger athletes, increase scores, and feel prepared and ready to bring their best as they take the Section’s floor.
With the comments from 2 athletes and the team head coach, it is clear that the team has some serious goals set for the near postseason. Every team has its strengths and weaknesses but knowing how to improve weaknesses and maintain strengths is how stronger teams stand apart from others. So, with the postseason near, the team is hoping to improve and maintain those areas in the hope of making it to the state tournament and continuing the 23-year streak.
