J.J. Ries still vividly recalls the day that 23 veteran Hornettes drove down her street, blaring their horns and singing the Edina fight song to announce that Ries was one of the lucky ones chosen to join the storied dance line. “At that time, it was literally the best moment of your life,” says Ries, who was on the team from 1993 to 1995.
Since the first dance line stepped out onto the football field in their green-and-white uniforms to entertain the crowd in 1959, the Edina Hornettes have been a fixture at nearly every sporting event. “You can’t have Edina without the Hornettes,” Ries says.
Behind that abundance of school spirit and lines of mile-high kicks is another tradition—one of hard work. Months of conditioning and practice are spent perfecting the numerous kick sequences and fight songs, many of which have been passed down since the dance line was formed. Following a public rally this past spring, the Hornettes will keep their name and continue their tradition.
Out of those arduous practices and time together come strong bonds that stand the test of time. “I always say she’s a Hornette for life,” says John Karlson, whose daughter, Kelsey, was a captain last season. Ries echoes a similar sentiment. “You immediately have this bond with all these girls,” Ries says. “The friendships that you build are immediate and it’s forever.”
