An offer for the coaching position of the cheer team was made to Dominique Davidson last week after the team went two months without a coach.
Davidson began teaching the girls at practice on Nov. 6 and helped them prepare for the rally as a trial run to see how she worked and got along with the team. Davidson continued to show her support and dedication for the team by attending the rally on Nov. 7.
“I think that [Davidson] is exactly the kind of coach we need,” said junior Nicole Eckerman. “She is perfect for encouraging the growth of the team by allowing us to explore different options of routines and stunts. She is also the type of person who we can depend on to make smart decisions for the good of the team.”
The new coach is just in time to help the girls prepare for their last football halftime performance of the season at their senior night at the football game against Palo Alto on Nov. 14.
Davidson, now 24, participated in her high school cheer team all four years she attended Del Mar High School. Davidson has also taught the Berryessa Cougars for several years, a cheer program that works with girls ages 4-13.
It is unclear whether the cheer team will have a competition team this year due to the lack of time to prepare with a knowledgeable coach, but the team plans to create a stronger foundation for next year’s competition team to work off of.
“I think the team will finally be able to focus on improving routines and cheers instead of how to contour having practices without a coach,” said senior Madeline Ryan. “Without competition season, we can focus more on improving our routines for basketball and rallies, and create a better and more cohesive team for future years.”