The Naperville Central varsity Arrowettes only have one senior remaining on the team for the 2021-2022 competitive season. 

“There were nine seniors and now there’s one senior, which is me,” senior varsity captain Mia Park said. 

Every year, the Arrowettes compete in two smaller seasons: the football season, followed by a competitive season. During this time, the team dances at basketball games while also competing at sectionals and state. Arrowettes holds tryouts for both seasons. This year, eight seniors didn’t try out the second time. 

While there have always been some seniors leaving the team after the football season, Park said it hasn’t been this drastic. 

“It definitely happens, but not normally to this extent,” Park said. “There’s always a couple girls that don’t do the winter season, but normally it’s not eight.”

Park said that it’s common for some girls to specify in advance they only wish to participate in the football season. Some enroll in private lessons outside of school, while others simply don’t have time. 

However, the COVID-19 pandemic is what made this year especially low in terms of tryouts. The pandemic was draining to many of the dancers. 

“Our entire season was just four weeks,” junior dancer Claudia Witte said. “There was like a fear that the condensed, intense season just didn’t fit into their lives anymore.” 

The pandemic also changed practices to accommodate the restrictions. 

“Last year with COVID, our practices were pretty brutal,” Park said. “We always had to be socially distant. It was really drawn out and just a little bit draining. I don’t think the coaches realized [this season was different] so they just pushed us along.” 

Witte said the socialization this season lacked is important not only to the dancers, but to the team’s success as a whole. 

“The more you socialize and get to know your team, you’re able to connect and dance better together,” she said. “We look better and we dance better together when we have that social interaction.”

As a result of so many seniors leaving, the varsity team, with only six dancers left, combined with the junior varsity team. 

Despite these changes, Park didn’t want to leave. 

“I like dance, I like poms, I like the team,” she said. “So I never really considered leaving. I do think that last year sucks but I didn’t think this year would be as bad.” 

Arrowettes coach Emily Rose did not respond to a request to comment.