As the school year starts, Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s boys step team, Dem Raider Boyz, practices to maintain their status as champions.

Sponsored by Mrs. MaryAnne Savercool and coached by Mr. Melvern, the club involves rigorous exercise and practice.

According to junior John Blanco, DRB is more of a sport than a club. He explained the practice routine to justify this claim “We usually begin by running at least a mile” he said, “and afterwards we do our stretching routine, along with step-style jumping jacks…”

Blanco also talked about how practice varies depending on when their performance is. He said they are “learning a step, perfecting a step, or getting a routine together for a show…” every day of the week.

Sometimes they even have to learn, perfect, and put the entire routine together in just two weeks.

Blanco says he considers DRB a sport because in addition to meeting every day, DRB works all year, and not by season like other sports.

Junior Brian Murray, on the other hand, is another stepper who said he thinks DRB is a club.

“I don’t think DRB is a sport because the other teams can’t affect our score in any way,” said Murray. He categorized it as a “competition team.”