Air Academy High School (AAHS) Cheerleading is kicking off the start to the 2024-2025 season. The new hired head coach of AAHS Cheer is Rachel Cullen, a fellow teacher at AAHS. Cullen is attacking the upcoming season with absolute positivity to ensure a motivating and well structured team for the upcoming season. When entering preseason for cheer the following open gyms are going to be hosted at AAHS in the middle gym from 3:30pm-5:00pm March 19th, April 2nd, and April 16th 2024. 

“This past year for cheer was very relaxed compared to the year before. I hope going into my senior year season the abilities of the team grows in order to be successful for competition season,” junior Campbell Huskisson shared.

This season there are going to be no returning coaches, leaving the style of coaching to be a complete switch. Cullen’s main focus for the upcoming season is a positive culture, clean dynamic, and motivating the girls to strive for greatness. The soon awaited tryouts will result in a three day clinic starting on April 23-25 with the official tryout day on Friday April 26, 2024.

“In coaching for the past two years on the AAHS Cheer team I have had the opportunity to meet several amazing groups of people, and have learned so much within my cheer teaching career,” Coach Isabel Perkins expresses.

Anyone can try out for cheer, regardless of your background revolving the sport. Open gyms are a great way for athletes to gain an idea of what jumps, motions, and skills they may need to perform well at tryouts. There will also be an information meeting for all new and returning athletes/parents to attend on April 9, 2024.

The past years the AAHS Cheer team has dealt with several problems within the culture between the girls on the team. This has resulted in lack of the teams ability to work seamlessly with one another. Cheer is built on trust due to stunting. When lifting athletes in the air there comes a big risk of falls, if a stunt group cannot communicate well together. The stunt can be unsafe and unpredictable to what may happen.

“I have based for three years now, when a flyer cannot trust us to catch her the stunt become incredibly hard to maneuver,” junior Elleigh Sullivan explained.

In stunting everyone must work together to have a hit. This means the bases must push at the same time, the backspot must help control the stunt, and the flyer has to stay tight and clean. If the team is unable to work together than there is no possibility for the stunt to work.

AAHS Cheer is striving to build a team that works well together. Cullen’s upcoming plans will hopefully bring together a team that will work to the best of its abilities.

This following season is hoping for a summer schedule similar to how it has been in the past alongside a new addition of two camps which are focused on building the team and perfecting skills. With high hopes of Dr. Cullen being the new cheer coach this year cheer  is in for a journey of positive culture and a competitive season!