On February 23rd, the Heritage dance team became the second team in Heritage history to win the GHSA 3A State Championship. The team started practicing, and memorizing their routine way back in October, spending countless hours polishing their routine. All of the members were very committed to perfecting their techniques and impressing the judges. These girls are very devoted to their sport, and their strenuous practicing paid off in the end. Not only did Heritage perform well at the competition, but all three Catoosa county high schools placed top six in the state.
“I was in shock when they announced we won,” freshman Elizabeth Wynne said. “We all felt great. We knew we did good, and watching our reactions to winning again was really cool.” There were many discouraging moments during the whole experience, but having all of their hard work pay off was absolutely worth it. This year, the dance team got 1st place at every competition until sectionals, and they lost to a team they did not expect to win. They still took it with dignity, and they didn’t let it crush their spirits. They used this loss to strengthen their routine and improve it for the State Championship.
“Watching them cry tears of joy and excitement while jumping up and down and hugging each other in celebration was a beautiful moment to witness. Seeing their hard work pay off in such a big way was the ultimate reward,” Coach Beth Chappelear stated. When the team wasn’t competing, they spent a lot of time with each other and the coaches in the studio. Watching other teams perform, talking, and laughing together brought everyone together. Coach Chappelear said, “They are really a fun group of girls.”
We are so proud of all of the dancers and coaches for working so hard for this win. They faced many challenges and hardships, but continued to stay determined and work together to give the best performance possible. Keep up the good work, Five Stars!
