The nation’s largest state drill-team competition is held in Iowa, and thousands of Iowa high schoolers, at least 90-percent of them girls, have descended on Vets Auditorium in Des Moines for the annual event. Kathy Enyart of Monroe, executive director of the Iowa State Drill Team Association, says 240 teams, 4500 kids, 408 routines, a dance-team competition judged on appearance, choreography, execution and showmanship. Enyart explains this is far from cheerleading, and is a fast-growing competition. Iowa’s state competition is the largest in the U-S, and has outgrown local high schools so it’s been held the last five years at Vets Auditorium in Des Moines. Enyart says the girls…and guys…put hours of practice into their drill team performances, and say they get a lot out of it. There are co-ed and all-male teams, too, and they all say the responsibility and dedication challenge them. The competition continues till nine tonight at Vets, and spectators can buy an all-day pass.
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