health: Lincoln Tribune

الأحد، 8 يوليو 2012

Lincoln Tribune

Former North Lincoln Knight Now Cheering for Charlotte Bobcats

Posted: 07 Jul 2012 12:24 PM PDT

Ashley Rhyne

By Seth Mabry

LCV Staff

DENVER- While in high school, Ashley Rhyne was a cheerleader for the North Lincoln Knights. Now she cheers for the Charlotte Bobcats, as she was recently chosen to be part of the Lady Cats for the upcoming 2012-13 NBA season. This is her second year with the squad.

But this is not Rhyne's first rodeo when it comes to cheering on the professional level. Before being a Lady Cat, she was a Check Mate, a member of the cheer and dance squad for the Charlotte Checkers minor league ice hockey team.

Rhyne has always been passionate about dancing. She began dancing at the age of three and continued her routine until graduating from NLHS in 2009.

Toward the end of her senior year at North Lincoln, she was approached with the idea of trying out for the Lady Cats by her dance instructor, Jennifer Barker, who was a former Lady Cat herself.

Rhyne gave it a shot.

"It was nerve-racking," Rhyne recalled. "The training was intense; we had two choreography sessions and a boot camp."

Rhyne did not make the cut. But this was just a minor setback.

Brandi McCoy, who is the dance instructor for the Lady Cats and the Check Mates, encouraged Rhyne to try out for the Charlotte Checkers dance and cheer squad.

A very determined Rhyne followed McCoy's advice and auditioned for the Check Mates.

"It was a lot like the (Lady Cats) tryout. We did a boot camp and professional interviews, and then had tryouts with the finalists,” Rhyne said.

This tryout yielded more success as Rhyne was selected to be a member of the Check Mates 2009-10 squad.

After two seasons with the Checkers, McCoy suggested she try out again for the Lady Cats for the 2011-12 season.

"I knew my coach would not steer me in the wrong direction," said Rhyne. "I got up the courage and tried out."

Even though Rhyne was familiar with the process, she still had butterflies in her stomach.

"It was so intimidating," she said. "During the interview, the judges would just look at you and then write something down without saying anything. It was a girl's worst nightmare."

After the audition process was complete, it was time to see who made the cut.

"They called us in one by one," Rhyne recalled. "They told me my dancing was strong, but my interviewing was a little weak."

At this point, Rhyne was not sure what was coming next. Did she get the part or was she going home?

"The judges had a long dramatic pause. I just wanted to cry."

Finally, she was handed a t-shirt and was told, "Congratulations! You are part of the team."

"It was amazing to be introduced to my teammates." Rhyne said. "It was the best feeling ever."

Rhyne now peps up the crowds for the 41 home games that the Charlotte Bobcats play at Time Warner Cable Arena. But there is much behind-the-scenes work that must happen between home games.

To be a Lady Cat, you must be physically fit and train with your teammates. Weight checks occur every couple of weeks to make sure that everyone maintains a consistent personal weight.

The Lady Cats are also very active in the community as they make around 45 appearances throughout the year, even during the off season.

Rhyne and her teammates handed out turkeys to underprivileged families with the help of Charlotte Bobcats owner, Michael Jordan. "He even said 'hi' to me," Rhyne said.

She was also involved when Extreme Home Makeover came to Lincolnton in December 2011.

"We hyped up the crowd before they unveiled the house," Rhyne said. "It was just amazing to see the faces (on the family)."

But some of the most rewarding events happen during the Jr. Lady Cats dance clinic. Young inspiring cheerleaders learn a few moves from the Lady Cats then get to strut their stuff with the dance team during halftime of a Bobcats game.

"It is so cool to see (the young cheerleaders) look up to you as a role model and idolize you," Rhyne said.

Although Rhyne, who still lives in Denver, loves her role with the Bobcats, she has big plans for her future. She attends Gaston College as a physical therapy student while working as a server at a tavern in Huntersville.

Her parents are Lynn and Rex Rhyne. Lynn is the varsity volleyball and girls basketball coach at North Lincoln High, while Rex is the owner of Trims Barber Shop in Lincolnton.

Even after Rhyne hangs up her Lady Cats uniform, she would still like to remain involved in dance.

"I still would like to be able to teach dances classes in my spare time."

You can follow Ashley on Facebook: LadyCat Ashley