BUTTE — Over two-dozen recently graduated high school cheerleaders from across the state are in Butte this week practicing ahead of the 79th Montana East-West Shrine Game.
Selected from nominations from their coaches, the cheerleaders are all practicing together but will split into East and West squads come Saturday.
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"They are the coordinators of energy throughout the football game," said Logan Wearley, Montana State University's assistant spirit squad coach and head coach of the Shrine Game cheer teams. "They teach the fans when to cheer and how to get things going. It's super important for them as an aspect of the game itself."
Cheerleaders from all four classifications are represented on the cheer roster, though Froid's Macie Elvsaas is the lone cheerleader from a Class C school.
"It meant a lot coming from such a small town," she said. "I'm the only Class C cheerleader here so it means a lot to get to represent my school and that class. It just means a lot to represent Froid which is like a population of 100."
Some of these cheerleaders will cheer at the collegiate level while for others Saturday will be their final game. And the days leading up to the Shrine Game will give them a chance to reflect on what their sport has meant to them.
"Cheerleading has provided me so many great opportunities that I never thought I could have," said Billings Skyview graduate Trystin Soelter. "It's just great to know I've grown so much since my freshman year with just everything that I've gotten the chance to do."
"It's helped me gain a voice, it's helped me gain a lot of confidence, it's given me a familiy outside of my own," said Elvsaas. "It's taught me patience, kindness."
