Colton Parsons
March 5, 2024
The matts had been rolled up, the bleachers rolled into there impenetrable wall, and the lights cut off abruptly, as the janitor clocked in for the night at Gull lake where just hours ago the Hawkeyes competitive cheer season ended stopping the momentum they had gained throughout the season to a halt. But their coaches were still busy planning next season and the new team that would come with it.
I spoke with Hamilton cheer coach Angie Kidell about her plans for the off season and how she wants to improve the program for next season.
“I was super proud of the girls this past season. I believe we improved greatly and the girls definitely persevered through some trials and difficulties. We were a very young team with only 4 upperclassmen. With that being said I think the girls did great.”
– Angie Kidwell
Coach Angie Kidwell explained that there are many areas that she wants to work with the girls on over the off season to help improve them for next season. One of her main goals for this off season is to get the girls more experience by getting tumbling training, open gyms, cheer camp, and just getting the girls more experience this off season to push them further along and build them up.
“We definitely have work to do in the off season but I am super excited about the potential of next season and years to come. We are really trying to grow the program and that will take time. But I believe we have a great group of girls and can’t way to see what they will accomplish” – Angie Kidwell
Coach Kidwell also explained to me that over the offseason they would be losing Izzy Ruggels and Jennifer Lambers. But she said she is excited for the number of girls coming into the program from middle school next year, and the fact that they have experience cheering with the freshman back when they were in middle school saying that they would already have good team chemistry.
Going into next season coach Kidwells main goal for the girls is to just get them more dedicated to the team and want to be part of the team and she wants to use sideline cheer to get the girls closer together and more interested in the sport before next season starts.
This program has a bright future ahead of it but it’s going to take hard work from the cheerleaders and determination but coach Kidwell believes that this could be a great year for this team.