Cheerleaders Selected For Shrine Game

Wolf Point senior cheerleaders Julianna Garfield, Rebekah Landsrud and Audriana Four Bear will cap off their successful careers by being part of the Montana East-West Shrine Football Game to be played June 17 in Butte.

The Wolf Point students were three of only nine cheerleaders selected for the East team.

The Montana Shrine Game is the premier all-star game in Montana and has a long history of distinguished players and coaches. It is also one of the oldest high school allstar football games in America. Every year since 1947, Montana high schools’ finest players are selected to compete in a game to raise money and to help make the public aware of the expert orthopedic and burn care available at the Shriner’s Children’s in Spokane, Wash.

To be selected to perform for the cheer squad, the girls needed to send videos of them performing along with answering an essay question.

“It’s very excited,” Four Bear said. “It will be a good opportunity for us to cheer together one last time.”

Landsrud and Garfield have each been cheerleaders for four years while Four Bear has performed for three years.

Highlights for them have included a half-time performance at the Class B state tournament. Landsrud and Garfield have each earned All-America honors. The Wolf Point High School cheerleaders came away with top honors from the Great Northern Cheer and Dance Championships last year.

“We heard a lot of positive comments,” Garfield said.

They said that being part of the program has been beneficial for them. Lessons learned have included being accountable and reliable. After attending open gyms during the summer, the cheerleaders practice four times a week from August through March.

The girls noted that the program has grown both as far as numbers and skill level during the last four years.

They thank their coach Nellie Garfield for her commitment to the program. She has decided to step down from the position after serving for about 15 years including the last four years.

“My cheer coach has put in a lot of time and effort in to improve the program,” Julianna Garfield said.

Landsrud added, “She’s there for all the girls and always willing to help.”

Four Bear said of the coach, “She’s very compassionate.”