The Oxford High School Chargerettes kicked off the 2025 season at the Mid-South Dance Competition. After months of hard work, the team was ready to showcase their routines and see how they compare to some of the best teams in the region.
“I’m really excited because it’s our first competition of the season,” senior Claire Tosh said. “The first one is always a little nerve-wracking since it kind of sets the tone for the rest of the year. We have four other competitions after this, so I’m excited to see how we start and how much we grow by State and Nationals.”
The Mid-South Competition is not only an early test of their routines, but also is the seniors’ last first competition. For many of them, it is the start of their final ride as OHS dancers.
“This competition is different for a big reason,” senior Betsy Wood said. “We usually don’t compete this early in the season. It’s our first October competition in a few years, and it’s also the seniors’ last first competition, which makes it really bittersweet. We all just want to do really well.”
The team has been preparing for months, starting their choreography during the summer and practicing nearly every day since. From long rehearsals to focused cleaning sessions, the Chargerettes have made sure every move and formation is sharp.
“We started learning our routines back in early summer,” Tosh said. “We’ve been practicing and cleaning them every practice and setting aside time each week to really focus on improving. Everyone’s done a great job preparing not just individually, but by helping each other out so the whole team feels ready.”
While the Chargerettes work hard, they also know how to keep things fun. Their practices are full of laughter, inside jokes, and encouragement, all of which help build the strong bond that shows when they perform.
“We’re all really close,” Tosh said. “We’re super goofy at practice, which makes it fun, but we also know when to be serious. We laugh a lot, but when it’s time to clean a section or perfect a part of the routine, everyone locks in. It’s a good mix. We all want to be our best, but we also make practice enjoyable.”
That closeness is one of the biggest strengths of this year’s team, especially since many members are underclassmen. The older dancers have taken on leadership roles, helping guide the younger ones through their first competition season.
“I think the bond between us is really strong,” Wood said. “We have a lot of younger girls this year, and they’ve really matured over the last year. We’re all close and hang out outside of practice, even though we have our own friend groups. We’re all thankful to be on a team together.”
With the Mid-South Competition complete and the rest of the competition season coming, the Chargerettes are confident and prepared to make Oxford proud.
“I think we all encourage each other really well and overall just go into practice with a good mindset, which helps us get better in the end,” Wood said.
