Photo courtesy of Iowa Central: Iowa Central performs its championship pom routine at the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Championships in Des Moines.

DES MOINES — The Iowa Central dance program will never take its achievements — or what it takes to reach the summit — for granted on head coach Cassidy Vermeer’s watch.

The Tritons were again the talk of the community college competition at the 48th annual Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Championships last week. For an 11th consecutive year, Vermeer’s squad clinched gold in the pom category. Iowa Central was also the champion in hip-hop for a fifth straight time, and a runner-up in jazz as well.

Vermeer — a 2007 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate and former dance team member with both the Tritons and the University of Northern Iowa — makes sure her program focuses both on extending the legacy of recent history while also writing their own unique chapter year after year. Behind captains Mia Mortensen, Kara Perry, Kayla Welter and Lydia Witzke, Iowa Central was able to do just that inside Wells Fargo Arena against the likes of ICCAC rivals Iowa Western, Kirkwood, Hawkeye, Iowa Lakes, Southwestern, Ellsworth and NIACC.

“Our captains are voted on by the team, and they have shown positive, encouraging and hard-working leadership skills,” said Vermeer, who began coaching at ICCC in 2011. “Our coaches rely on them for a lot of different things throughout the year. We consult them to help make certain decisions; they are another source for guidance and advice, they coordinate team bonding activities, they lead stretches, they are the first to arrive to practice and last to leave to serve the team with whatever is necessary.

“Most importantly, the captains always have our backs as coaches, have bought into what we believe and help lead the rest of the team into doing the same.”

Vermeer not only relies heavily on her veteran leadership, but her sixth-year assistant coach, Stephanie Sibenaller.

“From the beginning of the recruiting process, we talk to our dancers about the legacy of excellence here at Iowa Central and how we set ourselves apart in this way,” said Sibenaller, a South Central Calhoun graduate. “Our team members are expected to bring the same level of excellence into every practice, performance, and team event.

“In my opinion, this is why our team manages themselves very well when it comes to our competition season, because our expectation for them is to hold themselves to that same standard year-round. We are so proud of how our dancers conduct themselves — especially when it comes to being on the state and national stage.”

Vermeer, who has built her program around a concentration of area talent, knows exactly what she’s looking for in a Triton — as a student, a competitor, and a leader.

“Having passion for dance is an absolute must for our team,” Vermeer said. “Dancers must have the heart for dance — especially on the college level. Passion is what helps the dancers persevere and find the grit to keep working hard when the going gets tough.

“Us coaches are very passionate about our jobs and the tradition of this team. We definitely make a conscious effort to lead the team with love and passion at the forefront.”

Sibenaller knows Iowa Central’s margin for error is slim. The ability to maintain an elite level of success depends on the collective commitment of the entire squad.

“There are a lot of eyes on our team, and the fact that they continue to lead with grace and poise under that type of pressure says a lot about their character,” Sibenaller said. “As coaches, we have a ton of pride in our program and where it continues to grow. Our preparation is long, exhaustive, and relentless, and building that type of resilience takes time.

“Our girls have bought into the process, and know what it takes to remain competitive in the ever-evolving dance industry. We are so grateful that these dancers trust us with their future, and know that we will continue to work hard for them.”

In addition to the four captains, Kaysha Brown, Addison Johnson, Mikayla Monahan, Olyvia Olson, Kira Radunz, Aubree Tasler and Olivia Wood are sophomores for Iowa Central. Former Dodgers and current freshmen Reese Pederson, April Naeve and Ella Sells are also on the team.