Ballard's Ortner Wins CHARACTER COUNTS! ISDTA Coach of the Year

Ballard is celebrating a remarkable honor, as head dance coach Alicia Ortner has been named the CHARACTER COUNTS! ISDTA Coach of the Year following the state championships in Des Moines.  The award recognizes coaches who model the Six Pillars of Character, and Coach Ortner's influence on the Ballard Dance Team has made her a standout across Iowa.  Her nomination included powerful examples of her leadership, including moments assistant coach Audra Watson highlighted as defining the culture Alicia has built.

Watson shared a story from a past state championship when the Ballard dancers were the last team to leave the dressing rooms, quietly picking up every piece of trash.  She wrote that the dancers did it "because their coach taught them to leave every place better than they found it and leave every person better than before they met them."  That same day, a security guard grew emotional when the dancers asked to take a photo with her, telling them their manners made her feel truly seen.  Watson described this as "Alicia's legacy."

The nomination also emphasized how Coach Ortner has shaped Ballard into a respected and high-achieving program.  When she returned to coaching after briefly stepping away, she stepped in just two weeks before state competition, reworked routines, and helped lead the team to placements.  She has transformed beginners into state performers, choreographed every routine at no cost to the district, added competitions and Nationals opportunities, and built meaningful connections with other programs such as Ames, helping shift the culture of dance toward community over competition.

Watson summarized Coach Ortner's impact best, writing that you will not find a coach more dedicated to building good dancers and even better people.  Her dancers excel academically, volunteer in the community, and carry themselves with the character she models daily.

Ballard is proud to celebrate Coach Ortner as the CHARACTER COUNTS! ISDTA Coach of the Year and grateful for the lasting influence she brings to the Bomber dance program.