CHS alumna utilizing experience as Rangerette to lead Silver Stars
CHS9 Silver Stars coach and physical education teacher Hillary Clark listens to freshmen Lizzie Borchgardt, Annabelle Peterman, Mariana Delgadillo and Lucy Marz talk about what they drew from the lesson over communication skills during a team building activity in the main gym at CHS9 during eight period. Clark is the new Silver Stars coach and P.E teacher at CHS9. Photo taken by Neveah Jones.
September 20, 2019
As a member of the Coppell High School class of 2003, CHS9 dance/PE teacher Hillary Clark found herself on track to being a Kilgore Rangerette. Sixteen years later, she is back home, coaching the CHS9 JV drill team, the Silver Stars.
During college, Clark’s enthusiasm for dance, especially the drill team, grew as she was a member of the world renowned Kilgore Rangerettes, a two-year collegiate drill team.
“The experience of being on the Rangerettes is not like any other,” Clark said. “The things you learn being a part of a collegiate drill team, specifically Rangerettes, is how to work as a team and [have] discipline. In a way, it’s like the military; they take all of what is normal to you away and they slowly give it back. It just teaches you how to be a good team player and to work hard.”
Especially, Clark enjoyed traveling with the Rangerettes to different competitions and events.
“We get to travel to really cool places and perform for well-known people,” Clark said. “The most memorable moment I had was performing at [the] Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.”
Through her experience as a Rangerette and graduating from Texas Woman’s University with a degree in dance, as well as her previous job as the drill team coach for Fossil Ridge High School in Keller ISD, Clark has learned how to be a good director.
“All of my experiences bring different things to the table to allow me to run the Silver Stars to the best they can be,” Clark said. “Rangerettes brings discipline, high school team brings familiarity to what we are doing and TWU helped a lot with understanding the body and how it works.”
Clark has noted since her time at CHS, the drill team is continuously evolving.
“Back when I was on the drill team, everything was very much about precision. It was a big deal to be in sync and the movement was not as difficult,” Clark said. “Additionally, everyone performed the same style such as military, pom, hoops, jazz, lyrical and modern. Now, the drill team has evolved to be a more technically-based genre. Although the team is trying to keep the integrity to the precision alive, we have to conform with the level of technique the dancers are bringing to the table nowadays.”
Clark is looking forward to the Silver Star competition at Crowd Pleasers Regional Contest at Timber Creek High School on Feb. 15.
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