I’m going to start out by saying that I’m blessed to be a part of such a skillful group of girls. Each of you guys know exactly what you contribute to the squad to make us the best we can be.” Shelby Hartman, senior, wrote.

Jessica Ladd, varsity pommie coach, introduced an inspirational book to the pommies this past summer at dance camp. The book contains entries from the pommies themselves about why other members of their team inspire them through dance, work ethic, and leadership.

Each individual entry addresses the squad as a whole, each grade level specifically, and a specific inspiring person.

For Emily Reardon, senior pommie captain, the inspiration book, which started as a way for teammates to bond, has become a tool of motivation among her team.

“Everyone’s more focused, and you’ll see more people help each other,” Reardon said.

The book is a way for the girls to recognize members of their team that go above and beyond expectations.

“We write throughout the week when you notice someone, another pommie, who inspires you or you really look up to, and that’s who you give it to,” Adrian Morse, junior, said. “You [also] write a message to the juniors, seniors and sophomores, just like a message to pep them up and congratulate them on how well they’re doing.”

Ladd said the book helps develop stronger relationships among the girls. Ladd said the girls have really come together since the introduction of the book and there is more interaction between upper and underclassmen. Ladd said it is important to help remind the girls of the privilege of being on the varsity poms squad.

“Sometimes they forget that there were definitely a hundred plus people and only 21 people made varsity,” Ladd said. “It’s a reminder for them to kind of bring back that they are a select chosen group of girls and they should be grateful.”

Although the book rotates around to everyone on the squad, it typically shines a spotlight on those who are often more reserved.

“For people who aren’t the most outgoing, or the people that stay off to the background, [other people get to]  find something special about them and they get their time to shine,” Jordan Napier, senior, said.

Reardon appreciates the attention drawn to her younger teammates.

“I think it’s cool when [underclassmen] get noticed,” Reardon said. “They’re doing stuff that they should be but not overly displaying it, and people get to notice it.”

The book, while motivational and inspirational, brings the team closer.

“In past years, I feel as thought we haven’t been as close and we can be,” Morse said. “But this book it helped us to notice our other teammates and really admire them and congratulate them on what they’re good at.”

The book has been a way for the girls to step out of their comfort zone and reach out to those that they are less familiar with.

“The whole point of it is kind of like bonding,” Napier said. “When you get the book you don’t want to just pick your best friend, you want to pick someone that really inspires you.”

The book has a lasting effect on some of the girls on the squad.

“They said I always have a positive attitude in poms and pep up with the team,” Morse said. “That really stuck with me and made me feel good.”