Two FHS cheerleaders to explore the Land Down Under

By Kristin Hopkins

This summer, American athletes will travel to the Land Down Under to promote American football to Australian audiences. Flathead High School’s ambassadors in this adventure: two cheerleaders.

Senior Holly Schwenk and junior Emily Johnson chose to go to Australia from June 27-July 9 after the Flathead cheerleading squad was selected to tour last summer at a camp in Bozeman by the Universal Cheerleading Association All-Stars.

“We’re going to elementary schools and high schools for the promotion of American football because they don’t have football over there,” said Schwenk.

Johnson and Schwenk chose Australia rather than going to Europe during the school year.

“I have relatives (in Australia) and I’ve always wanted to go there,” said Schwenk. “It’s like the other side of the world.”

The two will tour with 14 other Montana cheerleaders. The trip includes squads from 33 states, plus high school football players. The cheerleaders will perform at the games played by the high school players, and at a professional rugby game.

Johnson said she is looking forward to “seeing how the crowd is at a rugby game and seeing if it’s as wild as the say.”

In addition to performing, the pair will also get to tour Australia.

“The first thing we get to do when we get there is swim in the Olympic pool for the 2000 summer Olympics,” said Johnson. “We get our pictures taken with koala bears.”

Johnson and Schwenk each plan to raise the $3,000 required for the tour by doing raffles, seeking business sponsorships and sponsoring events.

“It’s a matter of a lot of fund-raising,” said FHS cheerleading head coach Dona Weaver. “It is an opportunity for them to travel and get involved.”

Johnson and Schwenk say their tour promises a warm reception by the Australian people.

“I’ve heard that (Australians) really respect us — we’re kind of celebrities,” said Schwenk. “At each high school there is a person in charge of … the fan club” (for the Americans.)

“I think we’ll be accepted with open arms,” said Johnson. “We’re told they think Americans are like gods.”

The 1997 athletic season marks Johnson’s first cheering effort. She said she became involved in cheering because it involved fun and dancing.

“It always looked like it would be fun — the people who were in it are fun,” said Johnson. “I love to dance.”

The Australian tour will be Schwenk’s last performance after a career that has included three years of cheering for Flathead High School and dancing since she was three.

“It will be sad, but a big bang at the end,” said Schwenk. “I’ll go out with style.”

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