Female athletes gain strength, confidence in first Women’s Power Hour



This summer, female athletes at Waynesville High School completed the district’s first Women’s Power Hour feeling stronger, faster and more agile—and they’ve got the data to prove it.



Designed to encourage more girls to get involved in strength and conditioning, the Women’s Power Hour offered two daily training sessions dedicated to female athletes. While open to all, this time focused on creating a supportive environment where girls could grow together physically and mentally.



One day, Coach Maubach approached with an idea that we’ve both had in mind for a long time. ‘It’s time to stop talking and start doing.’ That’s when the Women’s Power Hour really started to take shape,” said Girls Wrestling Coach Maria Duncan. “Our AD, Cory Ace, was fully supportive from the beginning. Once the idea was on the table, so many coaches jumped in. It truly became a team effort—and because we worked together, we made it happen. We’ve created a healthy sense of competition across teams, and this is just the beginning.”



For Ruby Hisatake, a senior who plays soccer, basketball, and softball, the program made a noticeable impact.



“This year we are prone to come to workouts every day and get stronger every day,” Hisatake said. “(Women’s Power Hour) helped me participate with my team and better my strength, my speed and my agility.”



Using PLT4M—an instructional fitness platform that lets students track progress—athletes were able to monitor their growth and set personal goals.



“I am now able to do stunts and techniques that I wasn’t able to do before,” said Kelise Johnson, a senior cheerleader.



Johnson said the camaraderie of athletes from multiple sports motivated her to keep going – even when she felt tired.



“There’s a kind of energy that spreads when everyone’s doing the same thing,” Duncan said. “A nod across the room, a quick ‘we’ve got this’—those little moments build momentum. You start hearing things like, ‘We’re getting stronger together.’ That’s when you know the culture is shifting.”



Athletes look forward to seeing how the consistency and camaraderie play out in competitions.



“We will definitely see a difference out on the field and court this year,” said Riley Grosvenor, a senior, who plays soccer, softball and basketball. “We’ve all consistently grown. I think it’s definitely going to make a difference.”



Superintendent Hilary Bales, joined by district administrators and coaches, recognized the athletes on July 31, 2025, for their dedication and success in this pilot program.



“Thanks to your leadership and hard work, you’ve helped lay the foundation for future opportunities like this,” Bales said.



In addition to Bales, district administrators Courtney Long, Dr. Elizabeth Washington and Dr. Jamie Goforth attended the Power Hour recognition event for the student athletes. Also present were coaches who actively supported/participated in the Power Hour: Coaches Kevin Schnicker, Cat Poole, Justice Miller, Chase DenDekker, Rochelle Maubach, Miranda Schierding and Jeremy Bartz.



Those who also led the Power Hours, but not present in the photo were Coaches Maria Duncan, Amber Barkley, Sheena Hodges and Kayla Wilson.

Updated July 23

Homeschool students invited to participate

Full-time homeschool students who reside in the Waynesville R-VI School District are invited to participate in district sports and/or activities by filling out the following form (one per child) at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6bMEKc-0UvqLg2H9r3ByKbPACKVtY6ZlXGO44mHouNdWMkg/viewform.

Missouri Senate Bill 63, which Gov. Mike Kehoe signed into law, takes effect on Aug. 28,. Full-time home school students (defined as homeschool, Family Paced Education or virtual students*) may try out and fully participate in fall sports and activities beginning Aug. 11. MSHSAA will refer to students who meet eligibility requirements (Non Traditional Option 3) as resident participant students.
_______________________
Participation Principles
-*Only full-time students, who receive at least a portion of their education in a home school or FPE, or full-time virtual school students  will be eligible through the new law. 

- *Students enrolled in a full-time virtual school through MOCAP will have eligibility with their local school of residence. The student is enrolled through another Missouri public school district, but the school of enrollment is a virtual building which is not a MSHSAA member. Therefore, the student may participate with the local public school of residence. 
- Participation includes interscholastic athletics, MSHSAA activities, and other co-curricular activities
- Co-curricular requirement parity: If your school requires participation in a course for participation in the activity (e.g., band, career-tech education programs, etc.), the same requirement applies to resident participant students.
_______________________
Students must:
- Reside within the attendance boundary of Waynesville R-VI
- Adhere to eligibility standards (academic, conduct, physicals)
- Pay applicable participation fees
_______________________
Clarifications
- Schools may not require course enrollment beyond prerequisites.
- Schools may require participation in essential instructional components (e.g., band class for marching band).
- All participants are expected to meet discipline, attendance, and eligibility standards connected to the applicable sport or activity.
- Students who leave a school to become a resident participant student due to confirmed or anticipated academic or disciplinary ineligibility must wait 365 days before becoming eligible.
- Records created to determine eligibility must be protected by the school of participation unless otherwise required by law.
_______________________
FAQs
- Q1 Can resident participant students participate with a private school?
-- A1 No. The law only applies to public or charter schools of residence.

- Q2 Can a student who withdraws from our school and starts attending full-time at a home school continue to participate with our school?
-- A2 Yes, provided the student was eligible by the academic and citizenship standards at the time of withdrawal and meets all other eligibility standards.

- Q3 Must home/FPE/virtual school students meet co-curricular course requirements?
-- A3 Yes, they must meet the same requirements of course participation as students enrolled in your school.

- Q4 Do MSHSAA transfer rules apply to a home/FPE/virtual school student who is participating with our school for the first time?
-- A4 Yes, first-time participants with a MSHSAA member school will be granted initial eligibility, then standard transfer rules apply thereafter.

- Q5 Do all school policies related to participation in extra- and co-curricular athletics and activities apply uniformly to resident participant students?
-- A5 Yes, they apply uniformly to all students.

- Q6 Can resident participant students participate in tryouts before the law is in effect?
-- A6 Under the by-law relief window from Aug. 11–25, tryouts and practices may be held.

- Q7 What if the resident participant student is a high school student and lives in a K- 8 district? Can they participate and if so, where?
-- A7 Yes, the student can participate with any of the high schools which would accept enrollment for students from the K-8 district of residence.

- Q8 Can a resident participant student participate with both a MSHSAA member school and a home school association?
-- A8 No, a resident participant student is considered a bona fide student whose eligibility is tied to the MSHSAA member school with which they participate.

- Q9 What other requirements are there?
-- A9. The bill specifically requires that the home school or FPE schools not include more than four students who are not related by blood or marriage in the third degree. The bill also requires that the home school or FPE school not charge any form of tuition, fees, or other payment.

Fall sports tryouts/practice schedule

The tryout/practice schedule for fall sports is at https://5il.co/3m21e. (The first day of practice is also the first day of tryouts.)
_______________________
WHS (Grades 9-12)
The first practice/tryout date for fall HIGH SCHOOL sports will be Aug. 11, 2025. Please see the first page of the schedule at https://5il.co/3m21e for details.

High school fall sports: Cross Country (Boys & Girls), Cheer, Football, Boys Soccer, Boys Swim, Softball, Girls Golf, Girls Tennis, and Volleyball.
_______________________
WMS (Grades 7-8)
The first practice/tryout date for fall MIDDLE SCHOOL sports will be Aug. 18, 2025. Please see the second page of the schedule at https://5il.co/3m21e for details.

Middle school fall sports: Cross Country (Boys & Girls), Cheer, Football, and Volleyball.
_______________________
Physical required
Every athlete must have a MSHSAA physical on file. The link to the physical is at https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4597/WHS/3951205/MSHSAA_Physical_and_Participation_Form.pdf
_______________________

Athletic Participation Fee

An annual athletic participation fee of $25.00 will be charged for the 2025-26 school year. If a family has more than one child participating, the following rate schedule will apply:

$25.00 for the first child

$15.00 for the second child

$10.00 for each additional child

Payment (checks or cash) should be made to the Athletics Office at Waynesville High School, 200 G.W. Lane Street, Waynesville. For more information, call 573-842-2450.