New cheerleading coach added to staff

During this school year, there have been many new coaches, including the new JV cheer coach, Mikala Saltsman. Saltsman began cheering with Youth Cheerleading clinics when she was about 4 years old. She said that she has always wanted to become a cheerleader after she attended her first gymnastics classes.

Saltsman says, “I wanted to start coaching because I wanted to share my knowledge and passion with those who share the same.”

She enjoys seeing the joy of the athlete’s faces when they have finally accomplished something that she/he have been working on. She also likes watching the girls cheer on game days having fun, but also working hard to accomplish their goals.

Since attending her first cheerleading practice, she knew she wanted to start coaching. She wants to eventually be able to work up to be the head coach at a Division 1 Collegiate Program.

Saltsman says, “It was difficult at first to be a new coach at the high school level. I have only coached at a collegiate level before so I had to adjust the way I “coached” the athletes. Working with parents was something that was new as well.”

If she could change one thing about the cheerleading program this year, it would be to start a tradition with the band on game day Friday mornings. She would love for the band to play songs that the cheerleaders could make up dances to.