OKEMOS - Pom is not necessarily cheer, and its not technically dance…so, what exactly is pom?

"It's kinda a fusion between cheer and dance, it's very precise like cheer movements and you do it with music," said Coach of the Okemos Middle School Pom Team Leathia Hodge.

"You're more snappy and you're not dancing it out," Reagan Woods of the Okemos Middle School Pom Team mentioned.

Since September of last year, the Okemos Middle School Pom Pon Team has been diligently practicing their routines.

"We practice 5 days a week now. We started off 3 days a week but now we do 5 days a week for 2 hours," Coach Hodge stated.

This pom team is made up of 22 girls and their hard work and dedication has paid off because just recently the Okemos Middle School pom team have qualified for the Division 2 Pom Pon State Championship.

This is the first time this middle school team is going to states (says with big smile on her face). We are so excited, I'm so overjoyed...it's a really really really big deal," said Coach Hodge.

Formations and transitions are just one of the categories these girls will be judged on during their competition.

"We get 10 points for formations and transitions. The formations you try to move every 4-5-8 counts just to keep the routine interesting and you try to culminate arm movements with the formations to make it paint a picture," Hodge described.

Consistent encouragement is a technique Coach Leathia uses for this middle school team as she knows these girls always give routines their best shot.

"She challenges you but she's really nice," said Reagan.

"The more I push, the more they give and so we end up with a really great product at the end," Hodge stated.

But despite the long practices these girls endure, the Okemos Middle School pom team continues to smile and is determined to take home that state championship trophy.

"I'm really hoping for a win," Reagan mentioned.

"I think that we're gonna get a trophy," Heaven Echols of the Okemos Middle School pom team also said.

Even when asked what she's looking forward to the most at this weekends competition, Coach Leathia excitedly said:

"Sitting in that circle when they're doing those awards and they announce that Okemos Middle School is the Division 2 State Championship."

And because of their constant efforts and strive of greatness each and every day, these girls continue to inspire their coach.

"I just love coaching Pom. One time I was walking a girl into the school from the parking lot and she looked at me and she said 'coach, you know what?' I said 'what?' she says 'I think you can do anything' and I looked back at her and I said 'you know what, when I look at you, I see that same thing'…so that's what I enjoy most...to inspire and to be inspired," Coach Leathia humbly mentioned.

The Okemos Middle School Pom Team will be competing in the Division 2 State Championship on Sunday, February 7th.