FRANKLIN, Wisc. — A special legacy is building at Franklin High School, thanks to a father-daughter duo taking the dance team to new heights.
“We always say the Franklin dance legacy runs really deep and once you're a Franklin dancer, you're always a Franklin dancer,” said Sarah Heinevetter, Head Coach, Franklin High School Dance Team.
Head Coach Sarah Heinevetter says her heart is full of Saber pride.
“This is absolutely my most favorite thing to do,” said Heinevetter.
TMJ4 first heard about the program when Holly Roloff sent an email, saying she wanted to "shine a light on this father/daughter duo who have put hours and years into creating a legacy."
“Seeing these other girls that I don't even know uniting and doing something so joyful, it brings me to tears every time,” said Roloff.
Her daughter Lily is on the youth team and she says she’s seen her blossom since joining.
“There's so much positive messaging and reinforcement and confidence. It's really something very special and I owe that to Jim and Sarah for putting so much into this program,” said Roloff.
As a Franklin alum, Sarah says the relationships she has built with the hundreds of dancers who have been through the program over the years are a blessing.
“To do it in the place where I got it all started and started myself is really special,” said Heinevetter.
Always right by her side is her dad, Jim, who says dance is in his family's blood.
“When you see success and you reach it, and then you're continually having to do that, it's really remarkable,” said Jim Ward, President & Business Manager, Franklin Dance.
Jim runs the business side of things, allowing Sarah to focus on what she does best: inspire.
“It's been wonderful really to be able to share something not only with her, but I feel like I have gained about 700 other daughters and granddaughters and so it's really made the program worthwhile,” said Ward.
Since Sarah took over in 2007, the middle school and high school teams have won multiple local and state trophies and are two-time national poms champions.
As the team looks to the future, Sarah says she's excited to see what comes next.
“I don't take it lightly. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to get to continue to do this,” said Heinevetter.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
