Jordan drill team has drive and determination

A sport for kings. Make that queens. Yes, drill team dancing is a sport. In fact, the season runs from early summer through March, making it the longest season for a sport sanctioned by the Utah High School Activities Association.

Last March the Jordan Charlonians traveled to New York's Staten Island, where they performed dance routines, competing with some 30 teams from across the country. The Charlonians — dropping the Beetdigger moniker for this competition — came away with the first-place trophy.

"These guys are dedicated. They worked their butts off," said coach Chandra Thompson, who is currently putting together another team, which will have high hopes of entering another national competition next spring.

Back in March, Thompson served as co-head coach along with Sarah Bates in taking Jordan to the competition in New York.

"This is a very talented program," said Thompson. "They have so much passion, drive and determination."

Several returnees will form the nucleus of this year's team. But the national competition experience is still fresh in the minds of those who participated.

"Unforgettable!" says Tracey Polevoy about the experience.

Ciara Allen chips in with, "The funnest thing I've ever done." Joni Jensen said, "It was fun competing with different teams and seeing how they did it." She described teams from around the country generally having a different style. "Flowing," was the term she used.

Shawna Neddo, speaking about the style of other teams, added, "They had more of a dance version routine. Our style is more military."

Thompson, not yet 10 years removed from her own Charlonian experience at Jordan, mentioned a number of factors that judges look for during a competition. Routines, sharpness, entertainment value were among them, but "execution" is deemed most important. Appearance doesn't hurt, either, and according to Polevoy, "We got a lot of attention from people wherever we went."

Thompson's background includes two years on the University of Utah's Crimson Line and one year teaching dance in San Diego. She is currently coaching as a paraprofessional but plans to return to school for a degree that will earn her a full-time teaching/coaching position.

Hard work is definitely part of the curriculum for the Charlonians, and the results show that it does pay off. They practice at 6 a.m. two or three mornings a week during the long season.

"It teaches them a strong work ethic. They learn to respect leaders as well as themselves, and we set goals," Thompson said. "Before every routine they focus on being united."

Slogans are a very important part of the program. The team's motto is: Leave your heart out on the floor. The theme: Believe it to achieve it.

All these ingredients make up a successful program. But in the end, Thompson says, "They just have fun with it. We had a blast in New York."

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E-mail: wjewkes@desnews.com