Behind the dance teamās physical skill and precise choreography lies much moreāa steadfast commitment to leadership, learning, and one another.
āI would say the people on the team are my closest friends. We spend almost every single day together, especially since we started competing,ā senior captain Rachael Roenfeldt says.
Classified as a student organization, rather than as an athletic team, these female Bobcats are responsible for every aspect of team management and preparation, from choreography and scheduling to recruitment and fundraising.
āItās helped me mature as a person,ā junior captain Aimee Gjurkovitsch says. āIāve learned how to put a team together and make everything work. Itās been a huge learning experience.ā
Despite the challenge of meeting these demands, while maintaining a team-wide 3.5 GPA, Roenfeldt says the students welcome the opportunity to develop valuable lifelong skills.
āThere has been a lot of different leadership styles on the team. I kind of know how people react to each one, and how I want to be as a leader,ā she says. āI think thatās helped me grow. ā¦ It puts life in perspective. You have to work for what you want.ā
Feature photograph: The OHIO Dance Team performs multiple routines at the 2019 Presidentās Convocation for First Year Students. Photo by Ellee Achten, BSJ ā14, MA ā17