Cheer teams have been an integral part of high school athletics for many years. Along with cheering their teams to victory, they also help spread school spirit to the community. The Okeene Whippets cheer team is doing what they can to keep the past alive while also doing their own things. The team is led by three first-year coaches, Sammi Cottrill, Karlyn Turner, and Ali Dobrinski. 

“Our girls are really special,” the coaches agreed. “The squad is very unique for several reasons. They are working very hard to bring back old traditions while creating new ones. I truly believe that our school will be better for it all because of what they are working hard to accomplish.”

One member of the team, Paislee Price, enjoys being a part of the team and promoting her school to the community.

“I enjoy cheering for Okeene because everyone gets involved and excited for us and we always get compliments from our community,” Price said. “I enjoy that our team continues to get closer and our bond grows bigger as we go throughout the year.”

As most teams do, the Whippets have athletes that are involved in other extracurricular activities. But the coaches say that their squad makes the best of it. 

“Our team’s biggest strength is perseverance,” the coaches stated. “There have been many challenges we have faced with injuries, and scheduling conflicts. Being a small school means that sometimes the students need to be in two places at once. But even though we are a small squad, we are mighty and we couldn’t be more proud of how hard the girls work.”

Kalystah York is another member of the Okeene cheer squad. She says that she loves being a part of the team for a number of reasons.

“One of the things I enjoy most about cheering for Okeene, is that we have an amazing community that supports us,” York stated. “I enjoy our team because we are very supportive of each other and that we can always depend on each other.”