This year, a new sport will be added to Rocket Athletics: a dance team. 

This team has been in progress during the fall and the program will be starting this basketball season. While there has not been a coach named, the position was recently posted.

“We had to do an interest survey and find out where it would be budget wise,” Rose Hill Athletic Director Jim Linot said. “(We needed) to see what all the supplies are needed to start it, plus posting for a coach or sponsor and going through that process to find where they fall on the salary scale, plus board approval.” 

For years now, students have been asking for a team and finally the school board requested for it to be brought back. 

USD 394 teacher Rachel Swope and her daughter, Hayden Swope, who is a sophomore at the high school, went to a board meeting at the beginning of the year and asked for a dance team with a few other people that supported this idea. They weren’t told if the team would be happening, but that it would be taken into consideration.

Once the team was approved, they said the team would be in place for the football season of 2022. After some pushing, they were able to have it for the upcoming basketball season. This made many people happy because there are seniors this year that wanted to join, and now are able to. 

This team opens many opportunities for students after high school with more scholarships. Many students who participate in dance are now more easily accepted into colleges for dance. They still are not sure how many people will be joining the high school team, but students are very excited that it is happening. 

“If we can get somebody in place coaching wise, then we will start after Christmas Break,” Linot said. “We need to find a place for them to practice.”