FROM CHEERS TO CHEERS; NORRIS SISTERS TRADE POMPONS, SKIRTS FOR HOOK SHOTS, SNEAKERS.Byline: Kirby Kirby is a common place name, surname, and given name. Other common uses include:
Lee Special to the Daily News When the Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, Christian High girls' basketball team needs a morale boost, the Cardinals could not find better cheerleaders Notable cheerleaders
The twins rooted for the team as pep squad A pep squad is a group of students, typically girls, who cheer during school events. Pep squads are found in in high schools, middle schools and sometimes, elementary schools. The pep squad's main duty is to promote school spirit. members last season. This year the sisters, who played on the basketball team as freshmen, returned to the court as key players for Santa Clarita Christian (8-2, 2-0) in its bid for a second consecutive Westside League title. ``They are encouraging but they are very objective,'' Santa Clarita Christian coach Tracey Scott said. ``Every time I look down the bench, they are looking at me. They are very focused. I am really pleased and blessed to have them back.'' The Norris sisters are also happy to be back. Their love of basketball became apparent last season while on the sidelines On the sidelines An investor who decides not to invest due to market uncertainty. on the sidelines Of or relating to investors who, having assessed the market, have decided to avoid committing their funds. cheering for their former teammates. ``I didn't know whether I should cheer or yell at them to tell them what to do,'' Meagan said. ``I felt like I really wanted to be in that game. It was kind of mutual. We both missed it a lot.'' Amanda and Meagan briefly considered trying to do both activities but those plans were quickly abandoned because of the great demand and time cheerleading The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. required. The sisters choreographed the majority of the pep squad's routines. They have a formal dance background in jazz, ballet, hip-hop and streetdancing and have participated in competitions since the sixth grade. ``It was a lot of fun to use our abilities to put something together,'' Amanda said. ``When I see them do routines, I kind of miss making them but I am also very proud of them. They are a good squad.'' Although Amanda and Meagan, both 5-foot-7, made the basketball team as freshmen, they decided to go out for the pep squad as sophomores and give themselves an opportunity to try another ``sport.'' Cheerleading a sport? At Santa Clarita Christian it is. With only volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. , basketball and softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' for girls to choose from, cheerleading is a popular activity at the 100-student school in Canyon Country. ``It is a sport and it is very athletic, a lot more than people think it is,'' Amanda said. ``It requires a lot of time staying after school with practice and all the decorations.'' Amanda and Meagan were among four basketball players to defect defect - bug to cheerleading last year. One of the players, Heather Cranston, is a member of this year's cheerleading squad. The exodus of players left their basketball coach in a bind. On one hand, Scott wished her players the best during cheerleading tryouts. On the other, the fourth-year coach, who shares her players with the school's choir choir [O.Fr.] 1 A group of singers; traditionally the chorus organized to sing in a church. Usually, Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran choirs are composed of men and boys, but occasionally in these churches and customarily in other Protestant , drama and music programs, was hoping for they'd change their minds. ``The whole cheer program had taken a step up and it was a real nice thing to have a huge amount of girls,'' Scott said. ``They are strong athletic girls and they were doing great in basketball. At such at a tiny school you learn to be careful or some day you may regret it and be stuck with nothing. It was a dead issue.'' Scott's patience was rewarded this spring when Amanda and Meagan reported for the first day of basketball practice this summer. The girls, however, were hardly shoo-ins on a much-improved team that won the league title and finished 16-8 after a 5-14 campaign during the Norris' freshman season in 1997-98. They were also at a disadvantage; taking a year off from basketball without even playing a game of HORSE. ``It was hard because everybody was moving up real fast,'' Meagan said. ``I stopped completely and did not play at all concentrating on cheerleading. We had to work hard to reach their levels and not fall behind.'' They paid their dues this summer at the Northwest Basketball Camp in Spokane, Wash. Amanda, Meagan along with Santa Clarita Christian teammate Amber Buehlman worked on skills from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week-long camp. ``There were a lot of awesome girls from all over,'' Meagan said. ``We kind of struggled through it.'' Their dedication paid off this season. Scott said Amanda and Meagan have taken their play to a new level with their work in the offseason. Both players plan to focus on basketball for the remainder of high school but there are no regrets over their cheerleading diversion A turning aside or altering of the natural course or route of a thing. The term is chiefly applied to the unauthorized change or alteration of a water course to the prejudice of a lower riparian, or to the unauthorized use of funds. . ``Cheerleading was very interesting,'' Amanda said. ``We missed basketball but when you commit to something you have to give 100 percent. We had to stick with it until the end of the year. It was a big challenge coming back to basketball but it pushed us to be better.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Santa Clarita Christian basketball players Meagan Norris, left, and Amanda Norris return to the hardwood hardwood: see wood. hardwood Timber obtained from broad-leaved, flower-bearing trees. Hardwood trees are deciduous trees, except in the warmest regions. after a year of cheerleading John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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