New cheer coach looks to build SVHS program

Rebuilding a legacy is all in a school day’s work for Sonoma Valley High School cheerleaders.

The program once yielded prosperous bounds with several competition wins. “We went to nationals a number of years and became a competitive squad,” said former coach Vickie Mulas.

Mulas, who is a Sonoma Valley alumnus, took over as coach in 1979. For 26 years, she coached cheer members to maintain integrity and respect for their school whether in their uniforms or not. Her program was esteemed and well known throughout the county.

While cheer members contributed to school spirit at sporting events and around campus, the program helped build their spirits as well.

Mulas says for some of the girls, the program taught them to be a respected woman. Including, that for the more reserved girls, “It gave them a sense of accomplishment.” Being in the program helped girls develop as young adults. However, “Those kids did more for me than I did for them,” Mulas said.

She’s extremely proud of them and still in contact with several.

The new varsity coach, Maci Church Jerry, SVHS, ’98, notes that the current program is recognized as a club – not an official sport. lthough the two dozen girls (and one young man) sweat just as much as if it were one.

Jerry has high hopes for where she can lead the team, although the members have had plenty of experience in the past. “They’ve all worked together. I’m the new one. They’re gradually accepting me,” Jerry said.

Before the school year started, Jerry had her team do two weeks of conditioning and then led into learning cheers and routines.

They practice two hours a day, three days a week in Golton Hall, rolling out cushioned mats to protect their ankles during routines. The mats also will prevent serious injury from a stunting mishap.

Stunting, the traditional pyramid stacking formation, is the most dangerous of the performances. It includes one or two-legged stunts and high flying basket tosses.

The cheer program currently only performs at football games, but they plan on unofficially cheering for basketball at halftime this season, according to Jerry.

At the Friday night football games, the members do sideline cheers to pump up the crowd. Before performing, the members get into a huddle and shout, “1, 2, 3 family!” Cheer captain and senior Kayla Winslow keeps the team together and on task during such performances.

The junior varsity team, which has 17 members, cheers at the junior varsity football games.

Winslow has been a part of the Sonoma Valley cheer program all four years but has been cheering for nine. “Being a high school cheerleader was always a dream,” Winslow said.

Amping up school spirit is a part of being a cheerleader. The members also help encourage students to dress up for spirit days. “Coach and I want people to respect and look up to the cheer team,” Winslow said.

Co-captain and senior Brianna Gorman plans to attend a four-year college next fall.

She’s aiming for either UC Santa Cruz or Cal Poly and believes being on the cheer team has helped prepare her for a college level team.

Cheer is popular in Sonoma starting in elementary school. Jerry spent years helping out with the Junior Dragons Cheer program, and her youngest daughter is now on its Pee Wee team. Her oldest daughter, now a freshman, is now on Sonoma Valley High’s JV team.

“I’m proud to be Dragon,” said Jerry. “And it’s a great feeling to be coaching the team that plays a role in building school spirit.”