Fan of the Year Winners 2009
Congratulations to our Winners of Fan of the Year! All winners receive an awesome prize package with gifts from our sponsors! Athlete winners are featured in Inside Cheerleading Magazine. Coach winners featured in Cheer Coach and Advisor Magazine!
Dance Coach Fan of the Year: Amanda Miller of Westside Dance in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
I first heard, “point your toe,” at age two in my Mom’s dance classes, by seven I was performing with her dance team. Eventually I helped her choreograph pieces for the Jefferson Dance Program. After 23 years I went solo.
In 2001, I started a dance team with only 8 members. After one competition, I was addicted. That first year we never placed, and I knew I had a lot to learn. In 2002 the Dancing Cats went undefeated. I added an elementary team two years later and then my senior team, Westside. After a few years, our goal to go to Nationals was accomplished.
Each year we made huge strides and climbed up the ladder. Then came 2009! We went to Pac West nationals and won a bid to go to the USASF Dance Worlds. Again I realized to compete at this level I needed to make changes. I am very competitive, but my biggest reward is seeing that little girl in the back corner who doesn’t always point her toe become the front and center dancer. I have the best job in the world, and believe some day we will win Worlds.
Cheer Coach Fan of the Year: Kristen Couch of Connect All Stars in Bellevue, Washington
“Coach KC is the most amazing coach ever! She is always there for us, and has made our program the best! Our teams have won many state, regional and National titles thanks to Coach KC and the staff at Connect!”
Dancer Fan of the Year: Alexis Alonzo of Dancing Cats in Lake Oswego, Oregon
“My name is Alexis Alonzo, I am an 8th grader and head captain of The Dancing Cats dance team from Lake Oswego, Oregon. I love to dance; it’s my life and always makes me happy! I have the most amazing coach, Amanda Miller, there is never a time when you are with her and she doesn’t make you laugh! Amanda is the best coach she always motivates us and is an inspiration. She has taught me to appreciate dance and always have fun with it. I’ve been dancing with Amanda since I was in 2nd grade when I had taken a summer camp and absolutely loved it. I remember at the camp we danced to Britney Spears featuring Madonna “Me against the music.” Ever since then at every competition it’s been me against the music. I’ve been fortunate enough to dance on the junior team for four years because as a 5th grader I was on the team. I help with the elementary team the Dancing Kittens who I absolute love! It’s so much fun to see them have a blast and become such good dancers as the season goes along. They are some of the most entertaining people I know and whenever I am with them they always make me either smile or laugh. Pac West competitions are my favorite because they are fun, and they always have the best teams! Competitions are so fun, all the parents who wake up super early to help, bonding with the team and of course the rush you get when there is a crowd in front of you, music is playing and you dance your heart out”
Cheerleader Fan of the Year: Breanna Froemke of Westcoast Extreme in Tigard, Oregon, and West Albany HS in Albany, Oregon.
“Breanna has been a cheerleader for the past 7 years. She lives, eats, breathes cheer. I have never seen a more dedicated girl to the sport. Cheerleading did not come naturally to her. She has had to work hard for every skill she has acquired over the years. 2 years ago she set a goal to become a member of the level 5 Dream team at WCE. She worked very hard to get the skills she needed, and was so excited when she made the team. The team had worked very hard and was getting ready for competitions to start in January 2009 when a very unfortunate accident happened. On January 4, 2009 while at practice she was in a tumbling collision and broke her neck. This took her out of cheer for the season and required a series of 4 surgeries to repair the damage. All along, all she could think about was “when can I cheer again?” The Dr’s did not think that would be possible. She would not take that as an answer. Against their odds, she attended every practice and competition with her team cheering them on from the front of the mat and vowed she would be back. The day before her final surgery she tried out for her High School team. She was going to be a Freshman and did not want to miss the opportunity, so she got permission from her Dr. to do this. After not performing for 4 months she took the floor and did not let fear take over. At that point she knew she could do anything she set her mind to. She made a full recovery and is happily cheering on both teams this year. All this time she has maintained a 4.0 GPA in school. Most people have told her she is crazy for continuing to cheer. She feels like life is too short to give up your dreams. She procedes with caution, but has only let this make her a stronger person.”
Now you can nominate your favorite coach or athlete for our fan of the week. Monthy winners are chosen from weekly nominations and voted on by our fans! Yearly winners voted on by our fans! Click here to nominate your favorite now!
