Memorial High School - Reata Yearbook (Houston, TX)

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CONCENTRATING ON THE TECHNIQUES OF THE WRAP, Junior Gene Sheils practices with cheerleader Terry Wood. The boys try- ing out did their stunts with the varsity girl cheer- leaders. Photo by Kathy Epps. MUSCLES AND LIGA- MENTS WERE STRETCHED before each practice to give the girls flexibility. Barbie Musil pushes Ann Wilson's leg up toward the wall. After practice over 40 girls beared the pain of those unknown muscles throbbing from abuse. Photo by Kathy Epps. JUNIOR CYNTHIA SOUTH- ERN PUT ON A SPIRITED SMILE before showing the crowd the routine she had learned for the occasion. Photo by Tommy Frierichz. BE TRUE T0 YOUR SCHOOL accompanied by the rustle of pom-poms was part of the cheerleader try outs. The skills of those trying out were shown to the students during a spe- cial pep rally. Photo by Trent Rosenthal. Cheerleading fry ouls 251

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SHOWING EVERYONE IN THE GYM THAT SHE HAS SPIRIT, Carrie Ramsey does a cheer at the tryout. Carrie was elected cheer- leader along with Sheri Austin, Barbara Gagnon, Cynthia Southern, Penny Sterling, Guy Cortney, Steve Orr, Bob and Gene Shiels, and Robert Wall. Photo by Trent Rosenthal. WATCHING ANOTHER GROUP PERFORM, the remaining candidates await their turn to try out for cheerleader. Out of 41 girls trying out, five were elected. Eight boys tried out. Photo by Trent Rosen- thal. Be true to our school hange in pirit By Loretta Farb n keeping with what the Beach Boys preached in their songs. Be true to your school. 4l junior girls and 8 junior boys jumped. flipped, and yelled to show the rest of the school that they were spirited enough to be elected cheerleader for I978-79. The candidates displayed the results of their two week training at a tryout in front of the stu- dent body Febmary l7. After voting in a special P.A.D., Sheri Austin, Guy Courtney, Barbara Gagnon. Steve Orr, Carrie Ramsey, Bob and Gene Shiels, Cynthia Southern, Penny Sterling, and Robert Wall were announced as cheerlead- ers for the forthcoming year, with Terry Atmar and Laurie Gyamarthy as alternates. Those trying out had various reasons for wanting to be a cheerleader. For most it was just something they had always wanted to do. The main reason Patty Alfedl wanted to become a cheerleader was because she was one on her old school's eighth and ninth grade junior varsity squads. We moved from Illinois my sophomore year and I wanted to try out, it was so much fun. said Patty. Kevin Topek wished to be a cheerleader so he could go crazy in front of a bunch of people. Cheerleading ran in Terry Atmar's family, so he decided to also give it a try. f'Both of my sis- ters were cheerleaders and they had so much fun, said Atmar. It just looked like a blast and I decided to go for it. . lt's something I really wanted to do ever since high school, said Bob Shiels. I wasn't really doing anything else like football. After signing up to try out and getting their parent's permission, candidates prepared for the Febmary I7 tryout by having clinics three nights a week for two weeks. 250 ' Special Repcrt, Cheerleading tryouts i i You really got to meet a lot of people tat the cIinicsJ, said Cindy F reel. They worked us hard, but everyone there was going through the same thing. , According to Vicki DiMaria, the clinics were Ngreat, absolutely great. Everyone goes in with the attitude that you're not going to make it, but later on it doesn't really matter if you are or not, said Vicki. You're sore together. The clinics were a lot of fun for Gene Shiels. It was a blast everyone there doing the same thing you are - you're not embarrassed then. Candidates had to pass a screening before going onto the final tryout. Five judges, under the supervision of Cheerleader Sponsor Miss Judy Hobbs. witnessed that the prospective cheerleaders had learned during the two weeks of clinics and wrote their opinions of each one. For Penny Sterling, the night before the actual screening was the worst because they were put in fmnt of all the otherncandidates. Everyone was interested in seeing how everyone else was doing. The screening wasn't as bad -there were peoplejudging from somewhere else that weren't cheer- leaders. related Penny. These people didn't really know. Electing cheerleaders is usually thought to be a popularity contest, but the most popular person needed ability to make it through the clinics and screening. , The underclassmen are looking for someone who knows what they're doing, said Jo Wagner. For the older people, it's popularity. I hope they look for people who are good? said Cynthia Southern. Some of the newly-elected cheerleaders have an idea of what they would like to see done in the coming year. One thing to do is to go to more volleyball games, said Sheri Austin. I know how it feels not to have anyone there so I'll encourage it. Barbara Gagnon wants to make sure to get people out to the games and pep rallies and get our team all ready for the game. After all the hard work and preparation. I0 cheerleaders were elected, but those who didn't make it still gained by meeting more people and going through a totally new. sometimes painful and frustrating experience with each other. It was going to be an experience one way or another, said Penny. Whether you win or lose you're going to come out ahead anyway. Senior year I want to show my appreciation and how I really feel spirit-wise - say 'Hey. we're really number one. look at us.' said Steve Orr. Cheerleading is the best way to say that. - 30 - -

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EYEING THE BASKET Junior Matt Strictland C543 pre- pares for a free throw. Senior Andy Mefferd C141 waits in the background. The Varsity won the game in a close decision frornBrazoswood. Photo bv Darrvl Yee. Coleman s Grew scores high in district running By Jen'y Shroff ll ne more bleacherf' the coach yelled at the players during fall training. One more lap, the coach yelled as the time approached for prac- tice to be over. One more minute, the coach yelled as the last game brought the season to a close. Work, sweat. and practice came to an end. No more yelling. just looking back. and looking back to a highly suc- cessful season. We were 22-l2. Senior Mark John- son said. HI wanted to win twenty and that we did. Twenty-two wins was not enough to win District, but it helped the Varsity to finish as a contender for the crown. OnlfStratford was able to beat them both times during district. Johnson said, Stratford had a lot of team quickness and good shooters. In the first round of district Stratford won by a ten-point margin. 42-32. Stratford's second round victory was a 252 Colemcnls New Deprh zlurign hi' Carol Devlin, closer 57-49 win. Stratford, Westchester. and Spring Woods were all tough, added Senior Robert Merrill. Westchester and Spring Woods each split games with the Var- sity during district. Westchester and Spring Woods both defeated the team in the first round of district by scores of 50-48 and 59-49. These losses were revenged in the sec- ond round by 48-40, and 43-37 point margins. Besides Stratford only Northbrook was able to beat the team in the second round. After losing 45-37 in the first round Northbrook came back to win the second game by the score of 62-60. Throughout the District race there were many standouts on the team. Sen- ior Andy Mefferd stated. Robert Mer- ril was our top rebounder and Kevin Coleman was our top scorer. ln the rebounding category Meril led with 265 rebounds over the season and Confirmed on page 255