Cheer Team Remains Hopeful for a New Coach

GFHS cheer team cheers for Godinez football players at the rivalry game against Valley High School.

Vanessa Flores

GFHS cheer team cheers for Godinez football players at the rivalry game against Valley High School.

Kimberly Castro, Staff Writer

For the 2021-22 school year, new challenges await Godinez Fundamental High School (GFHS) cheerleaders as they still don’t have a coach. 

Although the pandemic changed many, one of the most affected programs was the athletic program at GFHS.  For the cheer team, specifically, it has changed the way they used to practice.

Without a coach, after school practice is difficult. After great news at our rival game, it was announced that our cheer team was confirmed with a cheer coach. But, there is still no cheer coach. 

As the crowd cheered with excitement at the rivalry game against Valley High School, many did not. Our cheer girls struggle  to train themselves at daily practices 

Many cheerleaders were unmotivated to continue practicing like they used to in previous years. They are expected to keep training often after school. 

Cheer Captains, Ashley Nuñez and Isabelle Mendoza are responsible for guiding daily practices. 

 “I was honestly really excited to be voted captain by the rest of my cheer mates. I felt like I was trusted to do something important and especially now since we don’t have a coach, so I am just happy to help out,” said Nuñez.

But, even that has not been easy. 

“The cheer team has not practiced at all since March of 2020,” said Mendoza. 

A typical practice has been different where their own cheerleaders have to support each other.

“The typical practice is a lot of teaching new girls the same thing that we’ve been doing since freshman year and it’s just doing a lot of the basics. It’s things we have been doing since the end of eighth grade,” said Mendoza.

Although the both captains have similar perspectives over the situation of missing a coach they still keep a positive attitude.

“We had to teach the girls a lot of new things and we have been putting our own time and our own money and effort into making the team what it used to be but without much stunting,” said Mendoza

New Athletic Director Bill Snyder tries to adjust despite the challenges. 

“It’s confirmed that we have a new coach but I don’t want to say names quite yet, the district process is very long,” said Snyder.

The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) gave a harder time to continue sports due to COVID-19 cases. Schools including GFHS had to cancel all sports to meet the requirements of safety with everyone.

“It’s challenging, I have been teaching for more than 27 years as a teacher. I was very comfortable in the classroom. I do miss the students on a daily basis but I’m enjoying the new challenge,” added Snyder.

The Athletic Department has been trying to recover from the lack of training with all sports.

“Right now, we are rebuilding and restarting our programs. Many of our programs did not participate last year, so we are gathering students to participate and coaches to coach and get back to practice of full participating and gains of competing,” said Snyder.

Cheerleaders like our captains are concerned about not having a new coach.

“We are making progress,” added Synder.

English and AVID teacher, Selene Pola, is the cheer coach of record for the meanwhile.  

“It’s overwhelming managing two big teams. I am trying my best to give them good work outs and good times to practice their skills, so that they are benefiting from sixth period athletics,” said Pola.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“We are forward to getting back on the mats and to the potential that we were in our sophomore year,” concluded Nuñez. 

Editor’s Note: During Friday’s, Oct. 22, broadcast, it was announced that GFHS alum, Alexys Soto, is the new cheer coach.