As you look from the stands to the football field what’s the first thing you notice? Is it the players in an intense game, the cheerleaders rallying the crowd, maybe the band next to them? At Rocky Mountain high school where football dominates the field and cheerleaders bring on the crowd, The Diamond Dancers aren’t handed the spotlight, they have to fight for it.

Behind every eighth count and high kick is a team that refuses to quit. Often overlooked, these dancers are seen putting on flawless routines and performances every chance they get. Referring to studies shown on college dance teams, less than 15% of the crowd are ever focused on the dancers. As for the crowd on September 12, 2025, it seemed as though the study was correct. It seemed much more of the crowd was paying attention to activities other than the dancers. This was until halftime where they performed their hit routine “Missy.” The crowd’s reaction quickly changed, everyone had been wowed by their performance and there was no doubt why.

According to freshman dancer Sadie Willis, “It’s fun to get the crowd hype with cheers but the cheerleaders definitely have more attention from the things they do, we most times have to follow with what they start, which is fun but hard at times.” This opinion is shared among many of the dancers who work too hard to feel that way. Almost every school morning they attend practice at 5:45 to 7:15 to rehearse what they will perform, on top of occasional choreography classes that can last up to 5 hours. These dancers put all their time and effort into committing to the team and school, that’s why it’s so important to show up and cheer them on. So next time you’re at a game showing spirit to our school, take a look at the dancers and notice just how hard they work to perform the way they do!