Southern Misses
Amanda Hodges dances with girls scouts at halftime during the Lady Eagle’s game aginst Rice.
Kellie Oberkirch watches from courtside as the Lady Eagles take on Rice. The Southern Misses cheer and dance at all of the Southern Miss basketball home games.
Courtside Spirit
Stephanie Gwin performs during halftime of the men’s basketball game against Southern Methodist University. The Southern Misses entertain the crowd at halftime by performing a dance routine.
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Southern Miss Basketball fans are not the only ones familiar with this group from the university community. Their sassy moves and smiling faces on game day are a common sight to see. The Southern Misses, a dance team that is most known for dancing at basketball games, is also active during football season helping everyone get into the spirit during pep rallies. The Southern Misses is an auditioned dance team who primarily dance jazz, hip hop, and pom styles. The team dances and cheers at Friday Night at the Fountain and participates in bringing the football team out for the Eagle Walk. “We have a very talented and diverse group of girls who have a common interest in dancing and enjoy being a part of a team,” said Kellie Oberkirch, a senior from Mobile. “It’s almost a year round commitment, but we enjoy being together and finding fun things to do outside of practice and games.” To be a member of the team, one must be incredibly dedicated to the group in that they must commit to attending practices and performances, a schedule which can be quite rigorous at times. Elizabeth Kiehn, a freshman from Meridian, said she decided to try out for the Southern Misses because she did not have the opportunity to be on a dance team in high school.
“I’ve been dancing since I was 5 years old, but at my high school we never had a dance team, so I always cheered,” Kiehn said. “I knew I wanted to dance in college, but I had to make a decision about which dance team I wanted at Southern Miss, and I found what I wanted with the Southern Misses.” Members of the Southern Misses must try out every year to secure a spot on the team. “This is my second year on the team, and we have to try out every year,” said Stephanie Gwin a sophomore from Vicksburg. “I decided to try out for the second time not only because I love to dance but also because I have such a love for Southern Miss, and being a member of the Southern Misses allows me to show support for my school while doing something that I love.” “My dance experience this year has been a bit of a whirlwind,” Kiehn said. “In a good way though. It’s a bit overwhelming being a freshman and performing in front of your university, but I loved every minute of it.” The Southern Miss dance team is currently comprised of sixteen members, and Head Coach Jennifer Centola hopes that the team “brings about a fun and upbeat spirit for the audience.” Story by Marika Smith All Photos by Casey Clingan
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