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Cottonwood Heights Journal

Brighton Drill Team aiming to maintain top position

Jan 18, 2017 04:57PM ● By Kelly Cannon

Last year, the Brighton High School drill team took third in region and fourth in state. (Canyons School District)

By Kelly Cannon | [email protected]
 
Brighton High School’s drill team is looking to maintain their position and reputation as one of the best teams in the state. Last year, the team placed fourth at the state competition. This year, they Acadians hope to end the season at just as good of a position.
 
Head coach Tessa Italasano has been coaching the team for the past two years and speaks highly of the girls on the team.
 
“I think the Acadians are held to a very high standard, not only in the school but also in the community. They’re known for doing great all the time,” she said. “This year, the Acadians are known for kicks. They’ve always been known to be good at kicks. They’re strong technicians. Dance routine has always been a strong one for Brighton. This year, I think we’ve showcased that well. They’re pretty much good at everything.”
 
Brighton High School is in Region 3, one of the most competitive regions in the state. Italasano said while being a good team in the region is good, it’s also scary.
 
“It’s scary because you always have to stay on top of your game. You have to stay innovative and new and fresh. It’s a bloodbath region. We have Copper Hills and Bingham and West Jordan and Taylorsville and Cottonwood. Copper Hills and Bingham are top contenders at state,” Italasano said. “With us playing fourth last year, previously they’ve placed third but we’ve always been top five. It’s cut-throat. You always have to be innovative and on top of the game to be right there with them.”
 
Eighteen-year-old senior Sierra Barrickman said the strength of the team is in the closeness of her teammates.
 
“We’re really good at being unified. That’s something that Brighton has always had. That’s something I really love about this team,” Barrickman said. “Another thing is we’re technically strong. We’ve always had good technique. We’ve always been top five so we’ve always been right there. That’s another strength that we have.”
 
Seventeen-year-old senior Chloe Keith also says the team’s technique is a main strength.
 
“We’re always good at keeping up with our placement. We don’t like to backtrack or fall down,” Keith said. “I think as people, we have good character and we’re held to a high standard around the school.”
 
This year, Barrickman loves the dance routine because in years past, they’ve cut out elements of the routine because they were deemed to be too difficult. This year, the girls fought to keep those difficult parts in so they could place higher.
 
Seventeen-year-old junior Isabella Yates also loves the dance routine this year, but also loves the military routine and the kicklines.
 
“I love it because you get a sense of what the Rockettes would feel like or other kicklines,” Yates said.
 
As seniors, both Keith and Barrickman want to leave a legacy for the younger girls to follow.
 
“I want to leave knowing we had a good season, not necessarily that we won and that’s what it’s all about, but I want to leave them loving their seniors and that we had a good impact on them and they’ll be keeping on the traditions that we left with them,” Barrickman said.
 
As a junior, Yates plans on continuing that legacy and improving the team.
 
“I think every year, you want to make it better than the last. I think I want to make sure we’re fixing the things that didn’t go well this year and we continue to do the things that went right,” Yates said. “I want to continue making it a positive experience and make sure everyone is getting the best out of it but also the life lessons they should be learning throughout the years.”
 
So far this year, the team has competed in two invitationals, both of which resulted in high marks. The Acadians will compete in one more invitational before region and state.