Ashley Counterman, the Head Coach of the Western Michigan University Dance Team, describes her team as passionate, powerful, and spirited. She says they are the face of Western Michigan University athletics and enjoy the year round involvement that they get to experience.
Ashley Counterman took over as the head coach of the Western Michigan University Dance Team in August of 2012. She returns to her alma mater, having graduated from Western Michigan University in 2010, after spending her time at Western Michigan University from 2006-10 as a member and captain of the squad. Counterman was also a part of the 2007 national championship team. Currently Ashley is teaching high school Spanish at Mattawan High School and enjoying her eighth year of teaching dance at Excel Dance Centre.
In her opinion, the Western Michigan University Dance Team doesn’t ever try to compare themselves to other teams. Their dance team is constantly trying to be better than they were the day before.
Ashley’s proudest moment coaching occurred earlier this season during a late night outdoor practice. It was getting colder and the team ended up staying close to two hours after their scheduled end time. They worked very hard to perfect their pre-game show for the football game. Seeing the amount of energy and effort that they put into that specific practice made her proud of her decision to put these girls on the team. At the show that following Saturday, Ashley was even more proud of their performance and how well it turned out. Ashley said it was great seeing their success on the field and 
Ashley knows that the girls were extremely proud of themselves as well!
She believes that Pom techniques are some of the biggest struggles that their collegiate dancers have. In her opinion, many of them simply did not get the experience necessary in high school. Ashley recommends that all dancers take a pom class or join a pom/cheer team where they can learn these basic skills and put them into practice before auditioning for a collegiate team.
Her biggest team goal is for them to dance as one. They have many diverse styles and dancers that have come from all over parts of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois to dance at a collegiate level together. They strive to have a close team bond and to let that show through their performances on the court where being in unison and looking professional are their main focus.
Western Michigan University Dance Team’s athletes do not receive any sort of scholarships or financial aid for being on the team. They put in close to ten hours a week with practices, workouts, and games and they do not receive any benefits for it other than the memories and life lessons they gain. Every one of their dancers are there because they love to perform. They can fulfill that passion here on their team with others that share the love and passion as well. Their dancers also form a very close group over their time together here at Western Michigan University.
The Western Michigan University dance team is under the supervision of the department of intercollegiate athletics. The team performs at every bronco football and men’s basketball game. The team performs at alternating volleyball matches and women’s basketball games. The pom based team dances to most of the tunes played by the bronco marching band. The team also puts together special jazz and hip hop performances for the basketball games. You will see you bronco dance team at many community events and fundraisers, also.
Dancers selected for the dance team are required to attend their selected summer collegiate dance team camp as well as three to four summer weekend practices held at Western Michigan University. During the season, the Bronco dance team participates in all home football games, some away football games, all home Men’s basketball games and selected women’s volleyball and Women’s 
Basketball games. They will also need to attend several community events, fundraising events, appearances, and the MAC Basketball tournament.
Also, all Western Michigan University dancers must maintain a solid attendance record in all of their classes. Excessive absences are grounds for dismissal. A dancer’s first obligation is to school and the next is to the dance team. In addition to attendance requirements, all Western Michigan University dancers are required to maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Any dancer not maintaining this cumulative GPA will be unable to participate in any scheduled event, practice or game and/or dismissed from the Western Michigan University dance team. All Western Michigan University dancers are required to be full-time students maintaining a minimum of 12 credit hours. However, exceptions will be made in certain circumstances (i.e., grad students, etc).
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Ashley Counterman of Western Michigan University Dance Team.
If you would like more information about the Western Michigan University Dance Team, visit their website at http://www.wmubroncos.com, call Ashley Counterman at (269) 387-3615 or email her at wmudtcoachashley@gmail.com . You can also like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and watch them on YouTube.
