By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
The small and proud community of Waterford and highly competitive dance instructor Deanna Schicker has formed a near perfect partnership.
In a community hungry for athletic excellence, Schicker has found her niche coaching the successful Waterford Dance team, while co-owning a successful dance studio in town called Foursis Dance Academy.
“My sister and I like to dive into the community and be active members,” Schicker said. “And my husband is an assistant football coach, plus we do a lot with youth teams and athletic teams and support the different sports in the community. We are very close family and are very lucky that we found such a good and supportive community like Waterford.”
Schicker uses her strong sense of family and community involvement to create a positive and winning atmosphere for the Waterford gymnastics team. Her efforts have certainly paid dividend. In just four years as the Wolverines’ dance team coach, Schicker has led her teams to no lower than sixth in the state tournament each season, highlighted by last year’s state runner-up finish and southern regional championship finish.
This season is certainly no different for the Wolverines, who recently celebrated its fourth consecutive Southern Lakes Conference title. The conference title is just the first goal on the way to the ultimate goal of winning a state championship. The quest for a championship certainly won’t be easy with reigning champion Kaukauna, who beat Waterford by just four points last season, poised to win the title again. Other schools that will challenge Waterford include Hortonville and Hortonville and Ashwaubenon.
“So far it appears this season’s team is my most talented squad,” Schicker said. “It helps that the previous three seasons have helped lay the groundwork for the program. It’s great to see that what I’m doing with the girls and their hard work is paying off with the positive results.”
The talented squad is led by three captains consisting of senior Brittany Smith and juniors Tylerann Priefer and Maille Finnegan. .Other upperclassmen include seniors Erin Lewis and Megan Baker, along with juniors Jordan Wilfert, Kelly Martinson, and Sabrina Berg.
“I’ve watched the seniors grow with me,” Schicker said. “They help keep younger kids focused and remind them that nothing comes easy.”
The expression “nothing comes easy” may be an understatement when describing the type of commitment each each dance team member has.
The team practices three to four times a week for almost the entire calendar year, with the only real break coming in March and part of April. The practices not only consist of routine, but also strength and flexibility training. On top of this grueling practice schedule, the team also takes dance training.
To make matters even more daunting, the hard work each girl puts in does not guarantee them a spot on the roster the following season.
“The girls have to try out for the team every year,” Schicker said. “Nobody is guaranteed a spot because our team consists of freshmen through seniors.”
This type of high-risk, high-reward commitment helps drive the Waterford dance team to be the best.
“The girls work incredibly hard knowing nothing is guaranteed,” Schicker said. “It’s great to see the hard work pay off.”
The ultimate payoff for Schicker’s Wolverines could come soon in the form of a state championship.
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