It is true that champions are made, not born. Even the most talented athletes benefit from the guidance of experienced, dedicated coaches. The Jr. Streaks from Washington, New Jersey were led to victory at the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships by a team of talented coaches, including Coach Kristen.

Next up in our series of profiles on the Jr, Streaks Cheerleaders is a profile of Coach Kristen.


For Coach Kristen, joining the staff at Jr. Streaks after moving away from home was a great decision.

 

When and how did you first get involved in cheerleading and what made you decide to pursue it as a career?

In 2007, I had just moved to a new town and coaching was a great way to meet people from the area.

 

When did you start coaching your current team and what is your vision for it?

I started coaching Jr Streaks in 2010 when the team was originally formed. The vision for the team is to create a feeder program for our high school.

 

Is this your first coaching job? If not, what was the most valuable lesson you learned from your previous coaching experience and how have you put it to use recently?

I started coaching football sideline cheering. I have learned to stand up for what you believe in and when people put you down, turn that into motivation to prove them wrong.

 

What teams and/or levels do you coach? What is your specialty (stunts, tumbling, choreography, etc.)?

The Jr. Streaks is a Senior Rec team.

 

What is your coaching philosophy?

I am more about positive reinforcement, then criticizing.

 

What has been your biggest obstacle in coaching?

I have two toddlers at home and recently moved out of town. My biggest obstacle is travelling to and from practice and having someone stay with my kids all the time.

 

What do you see as your biggest accomplishment as a coach?

This recent year our team won the National High School Cheerleading Competition in our division.

 

Success requires a number of factors, but what is the one thing that you think has stood out above all else to make you successful?

We have a lot of opinions since there are so many of us. Listening to each other is a big part of being a successful coach.

 

If you could turn back time, is there anything you wish you had done or would have done differently?

I wish I could have learned to tumble. Then I would be able to help with that aspect more.

 

What advice would you give to rookie coaches?

You need to be patient. It can be very frustrating at times, but the reward at the end is worth it.

 

Bullying is a big part of the news these days. Have you ever had to deal with bullying among your athletes, and if so, how did you resolve the problem?

We have a very strict no bullying policy. We had an issue once and we dealt with it as soon as it was brought to our attention.

 

And a little fluff… What is your favourite stunt and/or tumble pass?

I love the pyramid. There are so many things going on and so many ways to be creative with it.

 

Would you like to see your team or program profiled on Cheerleading.About.Com? Do you have a favorite stunt or tumble you’d like to see a tutorial on? Is your pyramid picture perfect? Or maybe your team has a cheer or chant you’d like to share? If so, get in touch with me at allstarathlete@outlook.com and your team could be featured.