By: Sydney Young

UM Dance Team helping freshmen move in.

New coach, new performance schedules, new workouts, and new practice structure. These are just some of the many changes facing the Montevallo cheer and dance teams at the beginning of their season.

Madie Young is starting her first year as head coach of the Montevallo dance and cheer teams. Young is an alumna of Montevallo. She says she is excited to start this new adventure.

Young is making some major changes this season to both teams. She says the main reason for these shifts is to help the students focus on their local impact.

As the team works with their new coach, they will not be competing nationally this year. In past years the teams have competed at Universal Dance Association or Universal Cheerleaders Association at Disney World’s ESPN Center. Last year the dance team won third place, and cheer won fourth place at these national competitions.

Coach Young says she wants her teams to have a more local focus instead.

“I would like for the teams to get more involved on campus… That way people can get more involved in things, and their presence is more aware,” said Coach Young.

With a bigger impact on campus, Young is hoping the Montevallo student body can get to know the programs better. While Young says she is not sure what the teams will be doing yet, she is ready to get events planned.

Young says the teams will be performing at home basketball games this year like they have in past years. However, they will be adding a few volleyball games to their performance schedule as well.

Another change for the team this year is morning workouts twice a week. A graduate assistant is running workouts. Young says they are going well, and the team members are excited for the additional training.

Young cut practices from twice a week to once a week. She hopes this will give team members more time to be involved on campus.

For more information on the teams and their upcoming schedules, visit the UM Dance and UM Cheer Instagram pages.