ETV News stock photo by Jeff Barrett
The Dino Dynamics are getting ready for their competition season amidst several changes brought on by coronavirus. Already, the season has been postponed for drill due to the Governor’s recent mandate. Although the Utah High School Activities Association is still planning on four drill competitions prior to state, all of them will take place in 2021. Another change is that there will be no RPI ranking this year. Every 3A team will make it to the first round of state. Teams will randomly be assigned into groups and the top eight schools will advance.
“With the state stuff aside, we are seriously looking forward to the season. We have an amazing team this year,” said head coach Nicole Bennett. “They’re strong. We have 28 [girls] and they are all super committed. Our routines are awesome.”
Carbon will continue to polish up its five routines in preparation for state, including the three categories for state and two elective routines. “We want to place better than last year. We really would like to advance to the second day of state. This team should absolutely be able to do it.” Bennett continued, “We’re really focusing on not getting any penalties. Not just the coaches are going over penalties. We have three girls on the team reviewing the books and looking because there’s just so many in there that you can get nabbed on. That’s what took us out of the running last year. We really want to make sure, penalty wise, that we do not have that experience again.”
The Dino Dynamics are trying to combat all the changes and uncertainty by staying positive. “This whole team has such a good attitude. We’re trying not to let this COVID stuff keep us down. We are doing our best to get better and not bitter with all the changes. That’s our little hashtag, #betternotbitter.”
In 14 years of coaching, Bennett has never experienced anything like this year. “The minute in June that we could go back to practices, they had a totally different feeling to them. It was like they were grateful to be there so they were all just going to do anything we asked,” she concluded. “Every minute we get together, they’re grateful, and you can feel that in their energy. They’re just really a good team.”