Coaches are a necessary and crucial part of any team, and the shift from one coach to another always comes with adjustments and challenges. The RHS cheerleading team received a new head varsity coach whilst the football season was already underway. New varsity coach Lexy Custer was not expecting to move into the role this year.
“There was a previous coach that was not able to fill the role, and I was working the gate at Pride Night [when] Dr. Ray came up to me, and he was like, ‘Hey, I heard you had a background in cheer.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I actually do,’” Custer said. “Then he asked if I would want to come and help with the cheer team. I was thinking I would just show up to a practice or just come and be support. When I went and talked to Caballero in the athletic office, he offered me the position for varsity cheer coach. I happily agreed, because, honestly, it’s a great opportunity to meet more students and get to know the Rolla culture.”
This is not only Custer’s first year as a cheer coach, but also her first year as a teacher.
“I’m a first-year teacher in special education—history, specifically. I teach a variety of classes, such as U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government, Career Communications, and then also Individualized Instruction,” Custer said.
Although Custer is new to coaching, cheerleaders like senior Addison Watkins feel positive about how their season is shaping up.
“This season has kind of been hard for us, because obviously coaches have different ways that they like to coach … and I think she was a good candidate and a good fit because she’s cheered before. She knows the way that high school cheer runs, and she’s also preparing us for if we want to do college cheer,” Watkins said.
Not only does Watkins believe Custer has the right credentials for the job, but she also feels her impact brings a lot to the team off paper.
“She’s just really positive and uplifting. We’re always laughing at practice and just having a good time. And I’ve noticed that the team gets along better now. It’s good. Even though we have a smaller squad this year, and it’s more difficult stunt-wise and dance-wise, it is better on connection levels because we’re a lot closer than we were before,” Watkins said.
The varsity squad is smaller than it has been in the past, with only 10 cheerleaders making up the team. Junior cheerleader Katelyn Clayton has mixed opinions on the size of her team and the effect it has on their season.
“The size of our team is kind of hard for stunting because you have to have four people for a regular stunt, and for three full stunts you need at least twelve people, and we only have ten. It also doesn’t help if somebody gets sick or hurt; they might just have to push through. I do feel like we all are definitely being heard more, though. We can all put in our input easier because last year our team was huge, and anybody other than the captains couldn’t really say anything, so a lot of people were getting mad. We have not had as much drama as last year, and are definitely getting along better,” Clayton said.
Clayton thinks that Custer’s recent experience as a cheerleader is what makes her such a good coach.
“She did cheer herself at S&T only two or three years ago, so she’s definitely had more of a recent experience…[Custer] also dealt with a smaller team, so she knows how to work with one, which I’m excited to see,” Clayton said.
Custer plans to build on what the last coach accomplished, and she is also hoping for a long-overdue update.
“My changes are going to be a lot more about perfecting what we have, so a lot of cleaning up our technique, pushing for girls to exercise themselves in ways that can make them better stunters, better tumblers, and just better cheerleaders overall. I would also like to potentially look into getting some new uniforms because they’re slightly out of date, so I’m ready for something new,” Custer said.
Custer has enjoyed her new role thanks to the varsity cheerleading squad’s enthusiastic welcome and support of her. She believes that they deserve more recognition for all that they do.
“My varsity team has been nothing but good to me. They’ve honestly really given me their all and made sure that they’re showing up and being awesome, and I love and appreciate that. I don’t even think I could think of a negative besides the fact that Friday night, I am so tired, and literally I cannot speak and I’m just falling apart, but it’s still so worth it at the end of the night, Custer said. “I would also like to highlight that I think cheerleaders are such an important part of our athletics program, because, honestly, it’s just not the same vibe when they’re not here. And it really takes a lot to come out to football season, to basketball season, and to show up at all of the home games and have a good attitude and a smiling face the entire time.”
