By The Carroll College dance team made their debut on Saturday, Sept. 8, as they supported the Carroll College Fighting Saints football team.
“Being on the dance team means I get to rediscover my passion,” said Lexi Hutchinson, a senior nursing major from Paul, Idaho. “I stopped dancing after my high school graduation and I started dancing at 3 years old so I am able to get back into a space that allows me to reconnect with a passion I have had since I was 3.”
Carroll’s dance team is the newest addition to Carroll athletics, providing scholarships for students and an exciting new opportunity to grow as a person and at their craft.
Going into the first season, the dance has 10 girls who are elated to get the season going. The past month they have been hard at work to make sure they are gameday ready.
Abby Sloan, Kaitlyn Fellows
The new dance team will add an exciting new flare to the college gameday atmosphere here at Carroll Head Coach Faith Edminster, a Montana Native from Great Falls and a UM dance team alum.
“My girls are here to bring more energy and excitement to the sidelines and in their media timeout performances,” said Edminster. “To the community, this gives an opportunity for high school dancers in the area to dance at the collegiate level which has not been an option for Helena dancers before.”
These girls will attend football, volleyball, and basketball games this fall. Starting in February of 2025, they will begin competing on their own at NAIA competitions to show their more technical skills and compete with other schools across the nation.
“ For me, the best part about leading this team is watching them form lifelong friendships with each other,” said Edminster. “They already support and value each other so much.”
Kaitlyn Wenzel
The Fighting Saints dance team has an amazing future ahead of them and so many opportunities to shine.
“While we love dancing on the sidelines and supporting our other student-athletes,” said Edminster. “I am the most excited to watch my team compete at the collegiate level against other NAIA schools. I can’t wait to show everyone the level of talent on this team!”
The dance team recently had their debut in Nelson at the night game against Montana Tech.
The dancers might have been nervous, but they quickly kicked that away.
“The first game was such a rush! My nerves were quickly calmed with the camaraderie of my teammates and the crowd’s electric energy all throughout the game,” said Emma Boharski, a senior Biology major from Spokane, Washington. “I hope our debut was one to impress and reflect the amazing opportunities that Carroll College has to offer and continues to pursue for its students.”
