Coming off a rough year, the 23 members of the cheer team have encountered yet another difficulty: Coach Briana Terry, who began coaching the team at the end of last year, recently resigned due to health concerns.

Last year, the team was unable to attend Nationals in Anaheim,  largely because of the absence of a permanent coach. Terry’s arrival was too late, but showed promise for this coming year. Unfortunately, it has been a rocky start.

“The team without [Terry] will definitely struggle, but hopefully we will be strong enough as a team to stick together and make it through,” said sophomore Taryn Frank.

Terry was a welcome presence on the team when she arrived last year and had “wanted to be the coach this team could count on for years and years to come,” as she said on her final day of practice.

After going through four different coaches last year, the team is disappointed to see another coach go. However, according to cheer adviser Julia Peck, there has already been some interest in the position.

“I think our team has gotten a lot better at adapting to being a team without a coach, but it's always nice to have someone to completely hold us together,” said junior Cayla Zelanis.

In the meantime, practices are being held after school with Peck present as a supervisor.

The competition team will still proceed as planned. A choreographer will be brought in to teach the girls a competition routine, and by the time the routine has been learned, a new coach should be in place with little effect on the team, Peck said.