Dance has been entwined with senior Sam Resch’s life since she was a little girl. Resch’s mom signed her up for dance classes when she was younger and the sport stuck with her throughout the rest of childhood.
“Dance became a kind of escape from reality. My dance studio kind of became my home.” Resch said.
Resch attended and worked at Dance Factory in Topeka for most of her career, as well as competing for Hayden High School’s team during her time there.
When thinking about colleges, Baker had always been an option in the back of Resch’s mind. “I had a couple of friends who were older than me at dance who went to Baker, and I came from a really small high school and knew KU was too big for me,” she said.
After a college combine at KU, Coach Lynsey Payne personally contacted Resch. “It felt very personal, Lynsey really showed me that she really cares about the program and I’m not just another number,” Resch said.
“The biggest challenge I faced during my time at Baker was just being a student athlete in general is difficult, I’m pretty involved,” she said.
The dance team has a very intense schedule. Although they do not compete year round, they still train and practice during the off season. “We start in the summer with a camp or an intensive, around move-in time in August. It is just practice practice practice,” Resch said.
The dance team performs at football and basketball games throughout the first semester, and trains hard during the second semester for competitions and nationals.
Though Resch has a very busy schedule, she is thankful for all the support she got. “I always had my teammates to lean on, and Lynsey was always really good about working with us, She always wanted us to do well,” Resch said.
Resch’s biggest inspiration during her time at Baker was Keirstyn Reynolds, who was a former teammate and mentor to her. “She always pushed me to be the best version of myself and helped me find that happy sweet spot as a teammate and friend,” Resch said.
After graduation, Resch will be a fifth grade teacher at Indian Hills Elementary School, where she just finished student teaching.
For future wildcat dancers and students, Resch shares some advice: “just immerse yourself in everything, everybody here wants you to succeed, especially your coaches and teammates.”
