Letter: Competitive dancers deserve attention

I appreciate The Herald editors for the good wishes to upcoming high school state competitors expressed on Feb. 3 in the Saturday Soapbox as well as seeing the pictures both of Barrington and Maine South dancers as they competed for the championship in Bloomington on Jan. 28. However, it's disappointing that no sports page coverage occurred for the dancers, and I suspect none of the other less-prominent high school sports will be covered either in the upcoming state competitions.

I follow dance to support our granddaughter, a member of the Barrington Broncettes dance team, which finished second in state this year. Dance teams embody teamwork; they perform as a single unit. No stars dominate; instead, they must move as a single entity, each dance move choreographed to depict a story, to communicate the emotion of the story and to demonstrate the highest level of skill creatively and athletically.

These dancers practice up to five hours a day both at school and at their studios. Weekends are reserved for more early morning practice during the competition season. Many of these participants carry a heavy academic load, performing on the dance floor and in the classroom.

I wonder if a sports writer took the time to learn about this sport, attend a competition, watch a grueling practice, if he or she might find a worthy story to report.

I encourage your sports writers to broaden their interest and coverage to include the many student athletes who compete at high levels and represent their communities in such positive ways. I know they and their coaches would love to see a little ink for their passion as well.

Ann Riebock

Barrington Hills