Ireton Woman Sings National Anthem at NAIA Event

For most people, singing solo in a 10,000 seat arena would make them a little nervous. But, for Ireton, IA. native Jenna Van Oort, it comes natural.

After all, during her senior year at West Sioux High School, the 2006 graduate sang The Star Spangled Banner for a crowd of 15,000 during the state wrestling tournament.

This Ireton woman is no stranger to the local music scene. Participating in choir, jazz choir and singing for school events during her high school career has given her much practice for her performance of the national anthem at the Tyson Events Center. Van Oort's performance preceded the start of the finals at the 51^st Annual NAIA Wrestling National Championships on Saturday March 8, 2008 in Sioux City.

"My first solo was at my pre-school graduation," the 20-year old Van Oort explained of her start in music, "So, I've been doing it awhile."

The young woman says she was not nervous about the performance at the Tyson Events Center, but rather excited.

"I never ever really get time to prepare. I have sung the national anthem so many times. It's embedded in my head," Van Oort reassured. "It's so much easier when you love it. It's by far my favorite thing to do - singing and dance."

Van Oort, a sophomore majoring in Business Management / Pre-Law at Morningside College in Sioux City, IA, starts her day at 6:00am helping coach over 30 dancers on the red and blue squad dance teams at North High School in Sioux City. Her day is then filled with classes at Morningside College, practices for the Morningside Dance Team, singing for Morningside athletic events and in Morningside's off-season, dancing as part of The Outlaw Girls for the Sioux City Bandits Indoor United Football League.

How does this Ireton woman do it all?

"You just have to be organized," Van Oort advises. But, with eight years of studio dance, four years of high school dance team, performances in high school musicals and vocal performances since pre-school, she is well prepared for all the vocal and dance feats she has undertaken.

Although Van Oort spends her semesters living on the Morningside College campus in Sioux City, her summers are spend back in Ireton visiting high school friends.

If you missed her performance at the NAIA Wrestling National Championships this past weekend, you can catch Ireton native Jenna Van Oort proudly singing our national anthem at Morningside College athletic events.