There’s been modest changes this school year, including the new cheer coach Cheyanne Rose. With a strong ambition to know her future, Rose has always wanted to be an English teacher and cheer coach.

“I always wanted to do this; now I’m living my dream,” Rose said. “It doesn’t even feel like I’m going to work every day.”

Rose participated in cheer during high school and college, which shaped her into the coach she is today. Rose attended Midwestern State University her freshman year and transferred to Texas A&M University-Commerce to complete her Bachelor of Arts degree in English. After that, she obtained her teaching certification to teach grades seven through 12.

“I also cheered in college, [and] we [would] travel,” Rose said.

During practice, the cheerleaders on the squad notice that Rose has a passion for cheer and is enthusiastic about coaching. The team also adapts to Rose’s personality and coaching style. 

“She shows she cares more than just in practice,” senior on varsity cheer Imani Obsai said. “She is good at understanding where we stand.”  

According to cheerleaders on the team this year, practice feels more intense than before. For instance, cardio is more inclusive in their warm-up routine than last year as they practice tumbling and jumping more often. Their focus has also shifted since last year, with a focus on form and cheer competitions rather than exclusively game-day etiquette

“She wants us to be better than we were before and she wants us to work hard to be the best team we can be,” senior on varsity cheer Kayla Brown said.

Before she became a coach, Rose assisted with cheer teams for five years. Flash forward, she now has a team to call her own. Student Senate advisor and English III teacher Skyla Harvey experienced first-hand how  Rose and her cheerleaders interact and perform on a Friday night game day by filling in for the assistant cheer coach who was unable to attend the game. Harvey spoke highly of Rose after seeing that her ultimate goal for her team was to see them succeed.

“She’s so excited about being a new teacher [and] about working with cheerleaders,”  Harvey said.

During the school day, she teaches on-level English III and IV, and by seventh period she’s coaching.  

“I feel like it’s a healthy balance,” Rose said, “It gives me an opportunity to connect with my kids in class and my cheerleaders in a different way.”