High School Cheer Brings the Spirit!

February 2026

Antoinette Sandoval coaches varsity cheerleading and is proud and grateful for this season's growth. Take a look at this season's routine and cheerleader reflections in the video below too. 

This is my fifth year coaching high school cheer. Five of the seven seniors on the varsity team started on the JV team as freshmen. Just that makes me think about how much cheer has changed in their four years on the team. We have had a cheer program at KIS for over a decade with significant growth supporting an increased coaching staff and expanded routines with stunting and tumbling. 

The best of our program comes from the cheerleaders themselves. I am incredibly honored to coach athletes who bring their all to each season. Their passion, discipline, and teamwork inspire school spirit and bring polish to competitive routines. 

Cheer also creates an opportunity for student leadership. Experienced cheerleaders set the standard with creative, collaborative practices and cheer camp volunteer work in the elementary and middle school. Varsity captains also develop team routines. Three seniors – Jessica, Rachel, and Ryker – served as visionaries mixing music and choosing cheer skills to build a varsity routine. This year KIS hosted the KAIAC cheer tournament with KIS varsity placing second and junior varsity placing first. That success was due in part to the empowerment and adaptability of our captains – each practice they work with coaches to introduce and revise stunts and dance sequences so that everyone is competition ready.

When I say everyone, I really mean everyone. Last year I attended the National Cheer Association annual conference and the keynote speaker reminded us that high school cheerleading is often one of the most inclusive groups on campus, welcoming anyone to join because we believe we can teach a skill set at any experience level. Before you tumble or stunt, you wave poms with KIS pride!

While the seniors on the team prompted this reflection, next year’s team has me looking forward to another season. I made a list of the many accomplishments cheer made in the past few years – participating in more pep rallies and games, hosting cheer clinics, updating uniforms and poms, bringing new spirit chants to KIS, starting Phoenix Spirit to support co-curriculars schoolwide, and committing to our own cheer community through well-being activities. This is a great list and all of the coaches and cheerleaders should be proud of our work. So imagine what comes next. Go Phoenix!