Accommodating COVID restrictions, the dance team underwent changes for protocol. At the start of the football season the Belles weren’t able to kick in their traditional line. Towards the end of the season the Arkansas Activities Association let the girls bring back the trademark of the high kick line.

   The Belles also lost  bleacher reservations due to the Covid regulations. The girls moved to the band bleacher endzone. 

   “Being inside the cage in the stands allowed us to be surrounded by the student section and other cheering fans so it was always fun and exciting to watch the games, but when we had to move onto the football field, we were secluded from everyone so it was harder to get hyped up about the game.

   At any given time squad members experienced quarantine. Dances underwent modifications to accommodate formations for missing dancers.

   “Due to Covid I have to take on Belles at a day to day pace. I never know what the next day holds. There are many times the day before the performance we have to completely change formations because of girls being out for covid. It’s not easy but all of the girls work together and we rework our performances so we can go out and stay consistent for our audience on Friday nights,” captain Sara Remy said.

   Over the football season, the drill team had at least one girl out during every performance. The quarantining varied by how long someone contacted a person or if masks were worn.

   “It was really disappointing when I learned the performance and was excited about it, but I had to be quarantined and couldn’t perform with my team,” sophomore Emma Hunter said.

   Along with the major changes the Belles also ended up without a locker room. Individuals found places on campus to keep their things for game and changing before practices.

   “It was hard getting rid of the duck hole because all of the memories shared there. The worst part was trying to find somewhere else to change for practice because we no longer had a locker room and when everyone’s uniforms look exactly the same it’s hard to keep everything separated, and trying to fit all 31 of us girls in a bathroom to change was not the move. But we adjusted to the changes and made the best of it and created new memories,” junior Graceann Medford said.