Keeping Group Going Takes Time And Effort

Sat., Aug. 26, 2000

Special To Handle Extra

A new coach is trying to get the Post Falls High School drill team going again after an 18-year hiatus.

Eileen Rhodes coaches the drill team, which started anew in the spring of 1998. Before Rhodes started it, there had not been a drill team for 18 years.

“I felt like there were girls who needed something to do who were not in cheerleading,” Rhodes said.

It has been difficult trying to get a team together this year, though.

According to Rhodes, there are only six girls on the team. She needs at least eight girls to perform, plus one more to be an alternate. The ideal number of members for the drill team is 12, Rhodes said.

One of the reasons for such a small number of girls is that members have been dropping out. Rhodes believes that part of the reason for this is that when girls join the team, they don’t want to commit.

“They don’t want to put forth the time,” she said.

Rhodes also explains that at other schools in Idaho the drill team is bigger then the cheerleading squad. There are some schools with up to 30 girls on the team.

“The school is supportive,” Rhodes said about other drill teams in Idaho.

The drill team members have been struggling, too. They held their drill camp July 26 to 28, but the last day of camp was canceled because most members were not able to attend.

Co-captain Jamie Shaffer has been on the team for the past two years. Shaffer said that one of her favorite parts about being on the team is that she gets to meet new people.

“There is so much variety,” said Shaffer.

Teammate Amanda Jones also said that her favorite part of being on the team was getting to know the people.

“It’s a really good team to work with,” said Jones who has been on the drill team for one year.

The PFHS drill team has been struggling to keep a team together this year. Rhodes is working hard to get a team going. If she can’t get a team put together early on during the new school year, Rhodes said she would try again later in the year.

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