"I'm Starting to Look a Little Husky"

                                                “I’m Starting to Look a Little Husky”

            A steamy hamburger, stuffed with frizzled onions, juicy bacon, and crisp lettuce, dripping with rich barbeque sauce between two golden buns. Your eyes have just seen the product of the Burger Studio. One of the 4 food stations located inside the best place to eat on campus, the Husky Lounge. It’s about 6:30 pm, Monday on campus at Bloomsburg University, and all the students are being hassled by their stomachs to feed them. Walk in through the doors and enter. Your nostrils are injected with the delighting aroma of fried food, toasted bagels, leafy greens, and sub sandwiches all in one sniff. A little over whelming? Maybe, but it’s the only way to fulfill your savory satisfactions at Bloomsburg University.

            The Bagel station, one of the four incredible spots to get food in the Husky Lounge. During the wild dinner rush the vast lines of hungry students at each station make it difficult to choose where to eat from. Overhead the hardworking employees, dressed in beige collared shirts covered by a black apron with a name tag (as well as a black hat), reads two plasma monitors with choices available to construct a meal. A variety of toasted or non toasted bagels fill the crates behind the two energetic employees such as plain, cinnamon raisin, blueberry, chocolate chip, poppy seed, sesame, and everything. From these choices students have the option of either making a bagel sandwich or simply putting on a spread such as strawberry, cinnamon, or veggie cream cheese, peanut butter, grape jelly, butter, and strawberry jelly. Other students rather have something more “meaty”. To make a bagel sandwich, students have the opportunity to use turkey, smoked turkey, and ham along with a variety of different toppings like mustard, mayonnaise, ranch, bacon, lettuce, tomato. The cheeses range from pepper jack to American. “What can I get you?” a warm-hearted lady behind the counter says to a stomach driven student. A wide grin slowly forms on the student’s face. “Just a blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese!” the ecstatic student replies. They keep the line moving fast so students do not complain or get annoyed. “A majority of students can get pretty disrespectful because they don’t understand we are serving 60 people at a time.” Says Husky Employee Sean. The employees are extremely kind though under any circumstances and do their best to satisfy all the students’ needs. But a steamy warmth roams the air coming from a nearby station.

           
        The Burger Studio, where scrumptious delights such as hamburgers, grill chicken sandwiches, crispy chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, Philly cheese steaks, and chicken fingers are cooked to be fed to salivating mouths. The three chicken products are priced at $5.09 while the burger is $4.09, the veggie burger is $4.75 and the cheese steak is $5.05. Two touch-screens head a line of students. Here, students place their orders and make their creations. Each of the foods stated before are available with a variety of tasty toppings. With the touch of a button (or screen), students can place ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles, onions, bacon, ranch, barbeque sauce, guacamole, and much more on their desired burger or fillet. The guacamole and bacon are both charged seventy-five sense extra; absolutely worth it.  Right before the masterpiece is processed a choice of side dishes such as seasoned curly fries or regular fresh cut fries for about two dollars more make the decision just a little more tasteful. A crunching noise arises as a junction occurs inside the machine, and finally the holy receipt slides out.

 Students wait anxiously for their number to be called so they can receive their meals. Appetizing sounds fill the room as students await their tender chow. “Tssss”, a hamburger slaps the grill, “plluusshh”, a bundle of fries fall into the deep fryer, “pssshhhh” a refreshing fountain drink shoots into the cup of a student who has already received their food, and one thought conjures within the mind of each student “I can not wait until I am in that position.”  The chitter-chatter of fully filled tables over whelms the environment. One student eats in a hassle as she writes rapidly with her free hand as a group of students behind laugh like hyenas, mouths full of chewed food. It seems impossible for this student to get her work done but as the husky products flow every one gains the ability to go into their own tunnel of focus, whatever that may be. “541!” shouts a hurried employee. A student excitedly scurries to their meal, unaware of the complete and utter thrill for simply food, but every other starved-ridden mind in the Husky thinks in a n identical manner. The student appears satisfied, but only to see the next obstacle before him, the line to pay. Students take quick snags of fries from their tray, unable to wait until they arrive at the cash register. Curly and fresh cut fries crowd the area, leaving students with squished potato bits in between the crevices of the soles of their shoes. A toothpick will be necessary for later. “Meal on Flex” repeats over and over from a kind but tiresome employee. A simple “thank” escapes the lips of each student and they are happily given their fountain drink cup, available with any combo.

Splitting the two cash registers, another line flows monstrously, far lengthier then any other wait in the Husky. Filled with a majority of female students, the snake-like shaped group barely being contained inside the lounge headlines with a sign that reads “GREENS TO GO”. This veggie-orientated station satisfies the needs of students that want something flavorsome, but healthy. Caesar, ranch garden, buffalo bleu cheese, and Mexican garden are signature salads but students are more then welcome to assemble their own. They watch as the multi-talented employees collect the ingredients desired and amass them into a square plastic container. Don’t be surprised if an employee that was at the salad station Tuesday also works at the burger studio Thursday. “ I do multiple things here. I’m able to work at all these stations here so if they (managers) tell me to make sandwiches, burgers, assemble sandwiches, cut onions, cut beefsteak, I can do all that. Basically I can do anything they tell me to do.” raves a confident husky employee. Having trust in the employees to make perfect meals proves simple because they are able to perform superbly in any tasks around the husky.

Last but not least a station that goes by the name “Sandwich Shack” awaits starved students piling into the lounge. People looking for that “packed lunch from mom” taste are eager to get in line and craft there own sandwich. In the vicinity the smell almost replicates any homes-style kitchen smell, consisting of fresh oven-toasted bread and newly wrapped cold cuts. Students might start to feel a little homesick, but once this sandwich enters their mouth they know that momma would be proud. “Turkey, mustard, and lettuce on white bread please.” A student says. The husky employee quickly and efficiently snatches each ingredient one by one and places them softly and tenderly onto the white bread, almost as if she purposely trying to imitate the works of the student’s mother. She then slices the sandwich in a diagonal line, reassuring the student with nothing short of what used to be a packed lunch back at home. The meats available are extremely similar to what would be of choice at the bagel station but add to the fun by being able to pick salami, pepperoni and smoked ham. Panini’s are also a unique component of the stations menu. Hummus ciabatta, ham and Swiss, tuna and cheddar, four cheese and several more can be chosen to have a delightful and exciting meal. But the excitement does not end just yet.

A noisy, vibrating conjunction over powers the sound of fountain drinks being spewed. Loose straws, caps, and napkins flood the area of this lone machine. The job of this contraption? To stir up the sweet F’real milkshakes that are made to gratify the taste buds of a student seeking something sweet. Place a vanilla, cookies and cream, lemon drop, root beer float, or strawberry flavored milkshake underneath the towering machine. Before you, a metal rod pierces the frozen ice cream within the cup and pulls it up into oblivion. A clamorous happening occurs inside the erupting rectangle. A creamy milkshake of desired thickness finally descends and waits ready for enjoyment.

The Husky Lounge, a tall glass building giving all on-lookers the ability to watch hundreds of students blissfully enjoy their meals. Students on the inside basically become advertisements brought to life, having the power of giving any on coming student a strikingly hungry stomach. A student rushes outside, food in hand and knapsack of back. He sits down on a mellow table and calmly breathes deeply, enjoying the silence that seems non-existent inside the vibrant lounge. Tables with umbrellas surround the content young man, along with other students who also take pleasure in consuming their food along with beautiful scenery. A mild gust of wind presents itself and blows a stack of napkins right off the student’s table. He chases down the scurrying napkins and chuckles as a group of students at another table politely giggle along. Eye contact intertwines the two; a friendship begins. The Husky Lounge apparently also has the capacity of uniting Bloomsburg students all around campus in meticulous ways.

Hearty subs, toasty bagels, vital veggies, juicy burgers and creamy milkshakes make the Husky Lounge the absolute finest place to eat on campus. A student that chooses to make amends elsewhere must be thoroughly confused and needs to be educated of the awesome powers the Husky has on an empty stomach. Nobody wants to leave a restaurant with a full stomach and a frown, so why take the risk. Do your body justice and take a trip to the Husky Lounge; you will not be displeased.

           

           

           

Getting Started

 

 

           Just like most college students Bill Scully didn’t really have any idea of what he was going to do or where he was headed in life. He started off at Keane University where he was on the wrestling team, but his college experience didn’t last long. “I went to school to wrestle which was stupid and one of the biggest mistakes of my life” he said. The 5 foot 5 inch brute 19 year soon failed out of college. He soon started to drive trucks and deliver beer just as a job to pass the time. “I would wake up at 5am and start driving, making deliveries, carrying around packages and delivering kegs to people”. He soon realized who he would be working with he didn’t want to become one of them. The workers were all sloppy with grease stains and baggy clothes, most of them have been working there for years. Most of the people that work there couldn’t have good  jobs and even some of him were fresh out of jail. This is not the future he wanted or had in mind, Bill didn't want to end up like the other truck drivers. He wanted a better future for himself so he decided to take a stand, Bill saw his last chance at a computer program school. He decided that the greasy workplace of a trucker was not fitting for his liking.

         
He found his way into a computer programming class 35 students. During the day still worked as a trucker delivering packages but at night he would go to the computer class. Almost all the kids in computer programming class had a college education, except for him. "I knew nothing about computers but I fought my way through the class day by day, I wasn't even interested in computers but it was my last chance" he said. The class slowly dwindled down to just 8 students graduating, he was one of the 8 and the only one without a college degree. Still not out of the water yet he was on the hunt for a job. Soon the short stocky kid had a job at the bottom of the company, slowly working his way up. He could smell a fresh start, finally he was on his own and was making a living." I thought it was funny that a kid without a college education in a class of graduates was more successful than all the other students in the program". He had a new outtake on life, he was now working man. As he took advantage of his second chance he was now a computer programmer in a big-time company. He exchanged his filthy jeans and worn out shirts for a dressed shirt and dress pants. He was always a very hard-working man but never dedicated his time to his education, once he finally got his act together he became a successful man. Nowadays Bill wakes up to a wife and two kids in his own house that he paid for with his own money. "Being a father was the best job I could have asked for, once I got started on my career path I wanted to start a family and that was the best decision I've ever made".

         Bill now walks into the office every day with a smile on his face his blue eyes gleaming and is loved by his coworkers because of his hard-working nature. He still takes that attitude that he had when he was fighting to find a job to the office every day. He's scared to go back and think what his life would've been if he stayed with that delivery job, what would've happened to his wife and his kids and their future.

         As a computer programmer he sits at a desk on his laptop and fixes different problems that occur on daily basis. His job is to make sure everything is up and running the way it should be and if there's any problems it's his job to go on and fix it. "My job isn’t the easiest thing in the world most of the time I'm fixing stupid mistakes that other people made sometimes it takes a whole day to fix them". Sometimes it takes him an hour sometimes it takes a couple weeks to fix some of the issues that's just part of the job.
 

Bill is a very outgoing man who will cracked a joke or two if you walk past his office and even say hi to every single stranger he sees, he definitely is not afraid to let his presence known. This is just one characteristic that makes Bill such a well-liked person at his workplace he could almost turn anyone's day around in just a heartbeat. He's not all fun and games though, when work needs to be done he'll get it done no questions asked. He's not all work either Bill has a developed a love for the arts over the course of his life, any type of mixed martial arts or jujitsu he's down to try. Bill is always one to try new things and meet new people which makes him like no other. You could always find Bill around town whether it's at the local wrestling match or riding his bike up and down the hills. Well-liked and very active in the community, he seems to know almost everyone in his small hometown.  

              It's almost crazy think that a trucker with ripped up jeans and grease stains on a shirt working with delinquents would end up here, at an office with the dress shirts and ironed black pants with two kids a wife and a place to call his own. Bill is very proud of where he came from and how far he's come, he's not afraid to tell you stories of what used to happen at his old workplace. Now instead of being a young kid that didn't care about education he is now a well-educated man who lectures you about how hard it was for him to get where he was and constantly tells you to work hard to get after your dreams. He seems to tell everyone he sees that the real world is not a joke you have to work to get to where you want to be. Most people don't get second chances in life but if you're lucky enough to get one you better take advantage or the world might pass you by. "Yeah it's not the job I had in mind or how I pictured I would be but I can't complain I took full opportunity of my chances and somehow, someway I got here and I'm blessed to say that". Bill always says "you can't wait for the world to come to you, you have to go out there and get what you want life it doesn't come easy". Bill still to this day does not own a college education but, he still works with people from different countries to people with different degrees and still works with them. Work is not fun and most people never work in a place that they enjoy but, it's still something most people have to do to make a living. Benjamin Franklin once said "the harder I work the luckier I seem to get" if you work hard there's always some place for you.

"Feeling Hungry? Eat a Snickers."

“Striving for perfection every day is one of our fundamental goals here at M&M Mars” proclaims Mike Pursall, the head of sales support in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Mike’s been working for M&M Mars for nearly 13 years now, and he’s followed that goal every day since he’s been a part of the company. Mike a college graduate from Rutgers University, was hired back in 2001 as a financial consultant. Since then, he’s worked his way up and now sits as the head of sales support for the largest confectionery company in the world. Mike remarked, “I feel like a little kid who got the keys to toy store or something like that – but instead of being a little kid, I’m a grown man who’s one of the heads for the biggest candy company”!               

Founded back in 1920 by Frank C. Mars, M&M Mars a division of Mars, Incorporated is the largest confectionery company in the world today and one of the largest private and family owned companies. Currently, the third largest candy company in the US behind only Hershey and Nestle, Mars is known for a plethora of products. Most commonly known for “M&M’s”, Mars also produces products such as Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Skittles, Starbursts, Life Savers, Juicy Fruit, Eclipse and many more. These products are what helped propel this confectionery giant to the forefront of the world, and are what help to maintain its company’s steady growth. Growing at annual rate close to 2%, the Mars candy division employs over 17,000 employees in 21 countries. Headquartered out of Hackettstown, New Jersey this company serves as an inspiration to entrepreneurs and competitors alike. 

The front doors to "M&M" Mars, Chocolates

When you first arrive at M&M Mars located on 800 High Street, you notice the immense M&M statuette characters who welcome you with open arms into the building. You first walk in through large, heavy glass doors, and you’re instantaneously blasted with an aroma of sweet milk chocolate. The sensation is so overwhelming and intoxicating it makes you crave chocolate and brings back memories of all the times you’ve had the sweet, deliciousness. The black marbled floors, glisten and shine so much you can make out your own reflection within them. At the head of the front lobby and reception desk reads “Mars Chocolate North America” which signifies this being the global headquarters for their candy division. Immediately to your right of the lobby, down a small staircase there lies large glass walls which allow you to peer into part of the factory located there. This factory produces M&M’s and other chocolates used for a variety of different products that will be eaten and distributed throughout the world. 

Following suit to the small staircase to catch a glimpse inside of what goes on inside the factory you arrive upon four elevators that transport you to the upper levels where management and different business sect’s work. Taking the elevator here is a pleasant surprise, instead of the often tacky and outdated elevator tunes that generally play, you’re greeted by the sound of pleasant and upbeat music. Something the company uses to help support the overall moral and attitudes of employees. When you exit the elevator, depending upon which floor you get off at, you may be somewhat surprised by the layout. Each floor is constructed and set up differently for the different business sect’s such as marketing, finance, or sales. They all have their own dedicated floors to keep everyone coherent. In the center of each floor, there is a buffet of every candy that the company produces open to be consumed by all employees, at whatever time of the day.                     

Mike Pursall, being the head of sales, is located on the top floor, in a large, luxury office suite. When he sits behind his large cherry oak desk, one can only get the feeling he is all about business. He looks more like a NFL player than one of the top executives at a fortune 500 company. Mike stands nearly 6’4” and weighs close to 300 lbs, he’s made out of muscle and from the way he stands practically anybody would be intimated. His bald head glistens under the ceiling spotlight, giving his head and neck a pinkish hue and his booming voice echoes throughout the room. Although he may seem like a brute, Mike’s all brains when it comes to business. From the way he conducts himself with clients, fellow employees, and visitors, you can see he is a true professional and extremely business savvy. Being fortunate enough to sit down with Mike, you can really get an inside look at the company and the professional world of employees and employers alike. The company has five principles that they conduct themselves by, and Mike personally shared how he lives by a few of them. They are: Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom.                                   

“Living by these principles and using them in my everyday life has been something I’ve grown accustomed to” explains Mike, “They are a fundamental part sustaining a successful life and business”. He went on to explain some of the principles to me, and how he tries to live them out. He started off each by giving his own definition of the words.                              

The signature M&M characters.

              

“Quality, is knowing that the consumer was satisfied, and felt that we did everything we could to make their experience the best it could be.” Mike says he lives out the virtue of quality by applying it outside of the office. “Having a quality product is what we strive for at Mars, and it makes me want quality in my life. This is why I believe quality and efficiency go hand in hand. If you put forth 110% you will get a quality product. Efficiency is always putting forth your best effort and never wasting any energy or time on unimportant or unnecessary matters. Hard work always pays off and I can tell you that first hand.” He recalled upon spending time and playing with his nephew. He said it’s not always about necessarily spending lots of time with someone, but rather spending quality time with them, that leaves long and lasting memories. Mike went on then explain that he not only puts forth his best effort in the office, but also at home, whether its cutting the grass or fixing the leaky sink, Mike puts forth 110%. Efficiency leads to quality. All in all, it shows that M&M Mars and Mike personally are both “striving for perfection every day”.

 

                                                                             

 

 

                                                                             

 

                                                                             

           

           

           

           

           

           

           

           

"Carefully Shaping the Future"

           The dance instructor, medium height with short dirty blonde hair, turns to face her class of roughly 15 girls all around the age of 6. The girls sit in clusters of friends on the concrete floor crisscross-applesauce, wearing their pink or purple leotards and light colored tights. They all talk semi-quietly among themselves while some struggle to get their hair up in pigtails. Miss Wendy opens up the attendance book and starts to happily check off names of girls she’s already seen come in. She looks up at faces a few times, back down to check the name off. She checks the time, sees there still 5 minutes remain until class starts, puts the attendance book back on the counter, and reaches into the cupboard underneath to find her ballet shoes. After a few more minutes of checking off names in her book, she tells the girls to go line up at the barres that line the walls around the dance floor and to get into position. In less than 30 seconds, the room becomes quiet and everyone appears ready to begin. She puts the record on, and the music begins. Over the past fifteen years as a studio owner, teacher, artist, and choreographer, Miss Wendy has learned more than enough about being a studio owner than one might imagine.

            Wendy Peckins, more commonly known in and around the town of Tunkhannock as Miss Wendy, teaches dance to boys, girls, and women ages 2-62. She holds so much passion for both the art she teaches and the students who learn from her. Growing up, she never thought she would end up being a dance teacher. She looked at the college and chose the major her mother wanted her to, however, after she packed her things she found herself in NYC enrolled in DEA (Dance Educators of America) training school. During breaks she continued to work at Linda Baretti’s studio as an assistant and, soon enough, she was presented with an offer she couldn’t pass up. She took over the dance studio from her teacher fifteen years ago, and since then has been in 3 different studio locations. She moved to the current location in 2005, and has found it to be much more practical in terms of parking than the previous two. Since the move to the current studio, which sits just on the outskirts of town on the corner of a five-business plaza, she beams with fulfillment regarding both the location and the improvements her business has made.

Miss Wendy's newest dance studio -- main dance floor.

            Upon pulling into the parking lot, many parking spaces present themselves which proves idealistic for both parents who drop children off at practice along with teens that drive themselves. The freshly painted blue/grey front door leads directly into the studio; Miss Wendy asks that only she and the assistant teachers use this door. The back door resides on the side of the building, which advances right into the dressing room, separate from the main studio. The dressing room includes benches and hooks to hang coats on, as well as many paintings and posters of dancers and ballet slippers. The main studio stands tall with its walls painted bright greens, blues, and purples, with the statement wall shining white with the words “Reach for the stars because the stars dance,” painted in purple. Her newest studio grows each day as her favorite so far, and she can tell her students love it as well.

            Along with the new location came a new sense of positivity regarding dance and how she wanted to put herself out there as a teacher. With a sparkle in her eye and a wave of excitement in her voice, she reveals the extent of the influence the studio has on the students, parents, and community. “I know now that the parents have a safe place for their children to grow and learn discipline and respect, and at the same time, build their self esteem while having fun and making memories they can take with them forever. If I am lucky enough to have that student through graduation, I am usually brought to tears while reading their goodbye letters.”

The studio, directly linked in giving back to the community, puts on an annual recital in June and also performs a number or two in the community’s annual Library Christmas Show. Along with these two shows, the studio attends an annual dance convention in Lancaster, PA called Excel in Motion, a group of famous dancers from the show So You Think You Can Dance who travel to different states to teach dancers all over how to better themselves. Miss Wendy says that although some studios there seem much more skilled, she believes her students walk away from the weekend-long convention with the best taste of the real world of dance, and the fondest memories.

            Ever since she became a dance instructor, Miss Wendy hasn’t felt the same. Teaching dance molds something special that keeps her directly involved in community projects. It changes the way the public eye sees her, and most naturally, she has become a role model to people of all ages.  Of course, being so well known in a rather small town definitely has its disadvantages, but more than anything, the perks outweigh all of those little flukes.

            The difference between being a dancer and being a dance studio owner grows exponentially. As a dancer, for the most part, one is constantly being taught and using that new knowledge to create a piece. As an instructor and studio owner, a whole new plate is presented. “Dance is always changing and evolving,” Miss Wendy remarks. The constant flow of change makes it difficult to teach one set form of dance. As the artist and choreographer, you have to learn to “go with the flow” of the ever-changing art form. Miss Wendy usually sticks to teaching ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, and lyrical. Most small town studios do not have a hip-hop class, simply because most of hip-hop focuses in cities. If the studio owner wanted to bring hip-hop into his or her studio, it would first have to be introduced to the instructor before the students could learn it, or else an expert would have to be hired to present the new material to the classes. Although the rapid pace that dance changes with seems exhausting and sometimes intimidating, it also ensures that the job never gets boring. Miss Wendy expresses, “You could definitely make a full time job of just keeping up with the latest trends in dance.”

            Having a full time job of owning a studio comes with many perks as well as downfalls. Miss Wendy has created bonds with her students that stand stronger than gold and she has her job to thank for that. She gets letters from students every year, both graduating students and underclassmen, full of love, thanks, and passion. Her job allows her to touch the hearts of children and adults while teaching them an art form that can teach one so much about their inner self. One of her fondest memories of teaching was, instead of receiving a letter from a student, she received one from a parent one recital. The contents of the letter made her truly realize both that there are some lessons that children simply cannot learn from their parents alone and the extent that they trust her with the lives that matter most to them. On the other end of the spectrum, owning a studio and teaching dance is not all rainbows and butterflies all the time. Her job requires her to be away from her home and family Monday through Thursday 3pm-9pm and Saturdays 8am-12pm. The hours may not seem too compact at first until you realize that her husband works normal 9-5 hours 5 days a week. “My husband and I live 9 months out of the year passing each other in the wind,” Miss Wendy explains, choking up. She loves what she does without a doubt, but sometimes the distance in her family that her career creates overwhelms her.

            Some of the most important lessons Miss Wendy hopes her students take away from their time in her studio include patience, politeness, and cooperation. Self-discipline begins showing itself in students as young as 5 and increasingly grows inside the student forever. She insists on self-esteem inside the four walls of her studio. When she hears the words “I can’t,” she immediately backfires with, “You can.” She knows students view the dance studio as their safety net, a place they can completely let go of anything bringing them down. Students learn to express themselves without the use of words. If nothing else sinks in, she hopes each and every student walks out of class each day with a feeling of family deep inside their hearts.

            The Wendy Peckins School of Dance creates an amazing place to spend a childhood, not only just for the purpose of learning the art, but also to shape the way one views oneself, others, and life overall.

            The record finally came to an end; the instructor gracefully waltzed over to the player, removed the needle from the vinyl, and cordially asked the students to line up on center floor. After putting on some music to warm up to, Miss Wendy stood in front of the class facing the mirror and began to lead warm ups, a smile of satisfaction spread across her face.

5, 6, 7, 8

Cheering is much more than simply chanting with a crowd at a sporting event. For Terri Sims, cheering is her life and has been for many years. She begins her days with 8 am competition practices beginning with her cheerleaders, all matching wearing red athletic shorts and white t-shirts, gathering into a musky high school gymnasium. Terri shows up to practice dressed in all athletic clothing, her light brown hair tied up into a pony-tail, and she’s wearing her glasses which have a light pink frame. The gym lights take a while to turn on, so for the first ten to fifteen minutes the morning sun dims the gym by peering through the trees from through the windows, into the gymnasium. Despite the early hour, her cheerleaders are awake and ready to practice. Warming up their bodies with basic exercises, her cheerleaders begin with doing jumps, extensions, and liberties. With sweat dripping down their foreheads, the five groups of four girls work together as Terri walks around, spotting the groups, yelling, critiquing, and coaching the girls. Her bubbly and positive attitude keep the girls motivated, however her cheerleaders know Terri means business when she repetitively yells "ladies" to get everyone's attention. They all listen to Terri's numerous and specific demands, despite her coffee breath. They continue to practice doing various types of jumps, tumbling (gymnastics), dancing, and stunting. You can hear the echo of their sneakers landing on the carpeted foam mats throughout the gym, and Terri's counting, "5, 6, 7, 8..." echoes through the surrounding hallways. 

Terri cheering for the Houston Oilers in 1984

Terri’s cheerleading career began when she was only 12 years old. She cheered for a recreational team in her area for one year, however after that, the cheerleading program was part of the middle school so try outs were required. Believe it or not, Terri did not make the team, but that did not stop her there. Ten years later, Terri was influenced by her mother to try out for the Houston Oilers NFL cheerleading team. Not having cheered in ten years, Terri was slightly reluctant, however she thought to herself, “What the heck, why not?” There were over five hundred participants, and to her surprise, Terri was one of the forty applicants who made the team for the 1984-1985 football season!

Terri’s passion for coaching began when her youngest daughter decided she wanted to cheer for their local recreational football team at the age of five, the Belvidere Wildcats. The organization needed volunteers to help coach the little girls so again Terri thought, “What the heck, why not? How hard could it be? Little did I know!” Terri had no idea that she was going to end up being a coach for fourteen, going on fifteen, consecutive years. She coached her daughter and her team all the way up to high school, which means she has coached the same girls from five years old, all the way to eighteen. Terri had become very attached to these girls because she watched them grow up. Terri reflects, “It brings tears to my eyes whenever I think about those girls. I’m so proud of each and every one of them that I have coached over the course of thirteen years. I feel like they’re all my little babies.” Since her daughter graduated high school, she now coaches for a local recreational team of middle-school girls in her area.

At a regular cheerleading practice, a routine is always followed. It begins with the team working together to roll out their mats. With each blue mat being fourty-two feet long and six feet wide, it usually takes between three to four cheerleaders to roll out each of eight heavy mats. Once the mats are in place, the girls gather into a circle on the blue carpeted mats and begin to stretch as a group. A chalky scent fills the gymnasium from the dust trapped within the carpet of the mats; this scent is ever so familiar to these girls. Following the stretches, the girls break up into five groups of four and begin to warm up their numerous stunt sequences that they have recently been working on. Walking around in her cropped black Nike workout pants, a light pink Nike sports tank, and her white Nike sneakers, Terri visits each group giving them important pointers to execute their stunts flawlessly and without injury.

The dance portion of the practice follows the stunt sequences. Terri’s cheerleaders line up without being told into their set positions, forming a triangle with the point being the front line. Terri turns on the music nice and loud from the small equipment closet located in the back of the gymnasium. Cheerleading music isn't necessarily a song that the girls dance to, it’s more of a remix of many popular fast-paced songs with special effects added into the music which correspond with what the cheerleaders are doing to add effect. For example, voice overs within the music play the phrase “Lopatcong, Panthers”, sounds of dings at the time the girls hit specific motions, and the music ends with a gunshot sound at the moment of their last move. For a better understanding of what cheer music sounds like, see the video above. The music really adds to the performance, making it that much more exciting.

As the practice goes on, Terri’s cheerleaders become tired which cause them to being to struggle to execute the numerous difficult stunts in their routine. Terri continues to motivate her cheerleaders by using her favorite quote, “Do or do not, there is not try.” Terri explains that she loves this quote because she believes that you either work hard enough to succeed, or you don't work hard enough and you fail. Finally after three hours of hard work, the girls can go home drenched in sweat, but with smiles on their faces. “The look of accomplishment and pride is what I love to see from these girls”, Terri proudly remarks.

Terri’s favorite part of coaching is being a coach throughout competition season. Competition season usually begins the last week of October and lasts until the end of February, depending on how far a team makes it that season. “I’ve been coaching for fourteen years and would say my best moment (as a coach) was in October 2007 when my team won their first, first place ever in a competition! And I’m proud to say that I have had a team win first place in at least one competition every year since then. But that first win had to be my proudest moment.” Terri loves to see what comes out of all the hard work her and her girls spend in the gym. She loves to watch the girls grow and preform to their best ability, knowing that she has helped them reach important milestones. “Cheerleading is more to me than cheering at football games and looking pretty. That’s the glamour of it, only a cheerleading coach really knows how much hard work, time, and effort is put into this sport.”
         One may think to themselves, “cheering is a piece of cake, how hard can coaching really be?” Many important aspects come along with being a cheerleading coach. It is the coach’s responsibility to ensure the safety of every cheerleader, to organize fundraisers, to plan practices well enough to work around everyone else’s schedule, as well as her own, and to make sure the cheerleaders get the best experience out of it as possible. For the past fourteen, going on fifteen years as a coach, Terri has dedicated her life to cheerleading. Not only is she extremely dedicated, but she does not get paid for what she does either. She has been a volunteer for all of these years, changing and influencing these girl’s lives every day. She has managed to raise three of her own kids, worked a full time job, and coached a cheerleading team every year for fourteen years straight. Terri reflects, “I love coaching because of the girls I coach! I like to have fun, be crazy and work hard! While winning is nice, I really love to see how the girls develop over time and become more confident in themselves and their cheering abilities. I like knowing that I have made an impact in their lives, no matter how big or small.”