Smiles and enthusiasm filled the Coupeville High School gymnasium during halftime of the girls basketball game with Klahowya Saturday, Feb. 6, as the junior cheerleaders displayed their boundless spirit.

Forty-five kindergarten through fifth-grade girls, led by the nine-person CHS squad, performed a dance routine they learned while participating in the annual winter junior cheer camp.

“I am super proud how well all the cheerleaders did at the game,” Coupeville High School cheer coach Cheridan Eck said.

“This basketball season has been a blessing to have coached,” Eck added. “They are all wonderful girls.”

The camp, which is a fundraiser for the Coupeville High School cheer team to help pay for transportation to away games, ran four weeks, meeting every Wednesday for an hour.

The goal of the camps, according to Eck, is for the youngsters to “have fun, first and foremost.”

“I also hope they get to learn something new and feel the OHANA (family) spirit that cheerleading can bring to a group of young girls.”

The camp is a learning experience for the high-school girls, as well, Eck said.

“They have learned in the past that wherever they go and whatever they do, lil’ ones are watching,” Eck said. “They have made comments like, ‘Wow, a junior cheerleader saw me in the store today and gave me a hug,’ and ‘A lil’ cheerleader waved and said hi to me.’

“It’s so important to be a good role model wherever you go and in whatever you do. You never know who is watching you.”

The camp also gets all of the girls, junior and high school, excited for next year, according to Eck.

“We are already talking about cheer camp this summer…and we are all excited and talking about the next football and basketball seasons.”