Bonners Ferry High School’s new cheer coach Christina Gaffield hopes to bring stability to the team after coaching turnover last year. Gaffield started volunteering as the squad’s coach last winter and has coached cheer across the country and the world when traveling as part of a military family.

As a coach, she focuses on mentoring her athletes not just in their athleticism, but in their character as well, she said.

“I tell the squad they represent Bonners Ferry and Boundary County and to be part of the squad you must be upstanding and behave like a true Badger,” she said.

She hopes to break down the misconception that cheerleading is not a sport. She said the girls hold up hundreds of pounds during the two-minute routine. To keep the girls prime for competition, Gaffield trains them in conditioning, plyometrics and flexibility training. They practice for hundreds of hours for that two-minute routine.

“Every time their focus has to be perfect,” Gaffield said. “It is a high-risk, low-reward sport.”

She added that half of the squad are dual sport athletes.

She wants to make the BFHS cheer program more than just cheering during a football game, but compete at the state level and bring home some hardware.

At practices, the squad is working on hew lifts, three different competitions routines, sideline cheers, tumbling, strength and endurance.

Gaffield did confirm that Buddy the Badger will be making appearances with the cheer team this year.

A future Badger cheer camp is planned, however, it is still being scheduled. Gaffield hopes to have a camp during football season and another during basketball season. BFHS cheerleading alumni are invited to participate during the homecoming game.

BFHS cheerleaders are always accepting donations to help offset costs. Donations can be made at the BFHS office when school is in session.