West Valley High School - Aurora Yearbook (Fairbanks, AK)

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ront Row: Teresa LaJlness, Julyan Smith, Kim Cridge, Kiana Thompson, Amy Copeland, Heidi James. Middle Row: Angie Gamble, ana Anderson, Lori Nichols, Sherry Kailing, Cindy Waller, Debbie Mittemiller. Back Row: Callie Thompson, Cathy Mobratten, Lynn ohnson, Valerie Tweedie, Linda Keirn, Shelly Springer, Amy Hard. . sas The Drill Team was a new after school , club that provided yet another opportunity for student involvement at West Valley. HE M The idea was put into action by Lori Nichols, who took it to Mrs. Byington, the team's eventual advisor. Babe Wiggener, a EW H professional dance instructor, was f recruited as the choreographer. Because it T was modern dance, the drill team could have been considered a sport. It was hard work for the girls as they soon found out. Tryouts were held in the fall. The 20 girls that were selected carefully planned the routines that they would perform during halftime at home basketball games. The girls were drilled by Mrs. Wiggener until they could perform flawlessly. All who saw them perform were greatly impressed. Their attractive faces and lithe figures were easy for anyone to watch and appreciate. The Drill Team was not a new idea at West, but because people like Lori Nichols got behind the idea, it became a huge success and promises an even larger turnout in future years. ff' J K My ,f .f .4 , ntlclpation of halftime activities, drill West's red and gold high steppers swing to llllll n members line up in formation. the beat, as they follow their routine. DRILL TEAM 161

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Blasting holes in opposing lines, dragging down quarterbacks trying to pass, and scoring many touchdowns were only part of the JV football team's goals. They also needed to build better skills and gain valuable experience to prepare them for the future Wolfpack Varsity football teams. The West Valley JV football team did just that. Behind the strong arm of Trent Carbaugh and the good hard running of Maurice Gamble, the JV developed into a functional and well operating team en route to a 2-3 record. Both the offense and defense played well, proving that West Valley was a team to be reckoned with. Says Bobby Coleman, one of the teams wide receivers: Next year the JV will be more experienced, so we should do better in the win-loss column. There were a lot of first year men this year, so we didn't have much experience playing as a team. Next year we will definitely do much better. The JV football team was a source of pride for West. The time, effort, and hardship that they put into representing West Valley on the gridiron proved that West Valley was still the one. West players swarm the Lathrop kicker in their efforts to block his kick. GAINING VALUABLE EXPER- IENCE, THE JV PREPARED TO JOIN NEXT YEAR'S VARSITY The Wolfpack defenders carefully eye the Lathrop formation. This sure-handed West Valley receiver ls Chris Rawlins. 160 JV FOOTBALL .rv FOOTBALL iiii A isasrs. 12 . 'i lfl tii 8 J ' i 20 Elelson 26 18 Lathrop 17 40 Kenai 24 22 KW-23 ll--3l IT-07

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The West Valley gymnasts, with precision The gymnastic team consisted of Cathy Scott, Evelyn Miller, Kathy Mahler, Paige Wallace, Kirstin Gish, Coach Cheryl McKenzie, Natalia Naske, Missy Pippen, Mimi Lee, Gretchen Kind, Sharman Murphree, and Qinsetj Manager Bonnie Oliphant. WITH GRACE A D STYLE WEST ,,,, D GYMNASTS SCORED AT STATE jumping into her next tumbling run. and grace, proved once again that they were a force to be reckoned with in state gymnastics. Always striving for absolute perfection, the gymnasts tumbled their way to success with the help of a new coach, Cheryl McKenzie. Lead by co-captains Mimi Lee and Paige Wallace, West placed second in regional competition.This is quite a feat since the compulsory routines lstandardized routines which all gymnasts must completel increase in difficulty every four years after the Olympics. The local meets consisted of the three compulsory and three optional routines. After taking second at regionals, the team traveled to Bartlett High School in Anchorage to compete statewide. At State they met with great success as Gretchen Kind became All-Around Class lll Champion. The gymnasts took time to raise money for new uniforms b having a bake sale at the University Center and the annual With grace and precision Gretchen Kind executes a difficult back handspring on the beam. 162 GYMNASTICS This year's Cartwheel-A-Thon winner was freshman Gretchen Kind, otherwise known as Stretchen Gretchenf, She won with a count of 1,800 nonstop cartwheels. Even though this number sounds unbeatable it wasnft enough to break last year's record of 2,683 cartwheels set by senior Mimi Lee. The gymnasts strived for perfection, with the attitude of settling for nothing but the best, and in the eyes of West Valley they were the best.