by By Dan Ninham
Jessica Houle is a senior at Richfield Senior High School, Richfield, Minnesota. She is a member of the Richfield Tapaires Dance Team. Her studio team starts in September and goes through May, and her high school season starts in October and ends in February.
“My Dad’s tribe is the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa based in North Dakota,” said Jessica. “My father is one-half Chippewa and I am one quarter. My parents’ names are Duane and Carla Houle and we live in Richfield, Minnesota. My dad has family in Belcourt, North Dakota.”
“I believe I am a very uplifting person,” said Jessica. “I always bring my teammates up and will never bring them down. I am a very hard worker and always willing to help others if they are struggling. I am committed to being there and working hard and I expect others to do the same.”
“Through my parents I’ve learned to always work hard and to put my best self forward as a way to achieve my goals,” said Jessica. “It takes a lot of persistence to achieve goals and you won’t get anywhere if you don’t put yourself out there and give it a try.”
Jessica said: “I plan on going to Mankato State University next year and considering a degree in the physical therapy field. Being a student athlete has taught me many things, but at the top of the list is discipline and the requirement to set priorities. These will both help me as I start college and have even more responsibilities and try to navigate the ‘real world’. Our dance team is like a big family and we always learn from each other, celebrate our victories and take comfort from each other in our losses.”
“A person who has positively influenced me is one of my dance coaches, Heather Daggett at Just For Kix, Richfield Bloomington,” said Jessica. “She’s been my dance coach since I was three years old. She has pushed me, to not only be a better dancer, but a better person. She has always challenged me and believed in me. As I get older, I realize more and more how great of an influence she’s been on me. I couldn’t ask for a better coach.”
“When I was a freshman in high school I tore my ACL and MCL while playing fast pitch softball,” said Jessica. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to dance again. I worked super hard for nine months doing my physical therapy, even though I hated it. My high school dance team went to State for the first time in a long time, while I was out. I was heartbroken because I didn’t get to experience that with them, but I was also beyond proud. After those nine long months I finally got to be back. I was stronger than ever. I made the varsity jazz team and for the second year in a row we ended up going back to State. Being announced and getting our trophy at Sections was the best feeling in the world. We didn’t get very far at the State Competition, but it was still thrilling to be part of it!”
Heather Daggett said: “Jessica has developed so much over the past 14 years that I’ve known her. Changing her interests, building different friendships, and all the while finding her way to becoming a more confident young person. When she injured herself three years ago she continued to work hard through the rehabilitation. At times she would be frustrated but she never wavered from her goal of returning to dance. She is always ready to pitch in when I need help and is a good mediator between her peers and me when appropriate. I have high expectations of my student athletes and Jessica has always met those expectations. She works hard each week and strives to do her best. Jessica is not afraid of feedback and shows me that she wants to continue to grow in her abilities. These are all qualities I want of the senior leaders on my teams.”
Jessica’s parents said: “Jessica has loved dance since she was very young. She started when she was three years old, and she has danced every year since. She did have to scale back her classes her freshman year when she tore her ACL playing fast pitch softball, but she started back up as soon as her doctor cleared her. This year she will dance on three studio teams, Senior Jazz, Elite Kick and Lyrical. She will also dance on her high school Varsity Kick and Varsity Jazz teams. She’s shown leadership to her teammates by never giving up, even when she didn’t make the ‘Elite’ kick team at her dance studio the year after her surgery.”
“She auditioned for the ‘Elite’ team this spring and finally realized her dream. Jessica will dance on both the high school Varsity Kick and Varsity Jazz teams for the Richfield Tapaires this year. She has helped build these teams bigger and stronger as she helped to recruit the younger girls in the district to build the program in order to compete with the other schools in their division. She is always one to step up to motivate her team and lead by her example of always being on time and ready to work hard. She is always willing to stay late and push the extra mile to try to perfect the routine. They hope to make it to the State competition for the third year in a row in February 2020,” her parents added.
