New cheerleading coach ready to tackle first year

Larry Griffin

lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com

New Swain County High cheerleading coach Ashley West is actually completely new to the field of cheerleading – she’s a history teacher by day and stepping into the role for the first time ever this year.

“I’m a newbie,” she said. “I’ve been researching on my own, and a few former coaches have stepped in and have been there to answer questions and help the girls.”

The previous coach, Kassie McMahan, stepped down for family reasons, according to school officials. West’s reasoning for stepping in is just because she wants to help the school and the community.

“I heard they needed someone to step in,” West said. “I love the school and the kids, so I volunteered to help out and learn a new sport.”

West has never coached any sport and said she doesn’t have experience cheerleading either. Aside from the help she’s gotten from other coaches, she’s been applying some of the ways she interacts with students in her history classes to the cheerleading.

She said so far, the job has involved “learning the cheers and the dances” and she said she thought the upcoming year would go well.

“I think it’s going to go good,” she said. “We’re starting practices and getting good form so they don’t get hurt. We’re practicing for the first football game… we’re putting our groups together, figuring out which girls will be where based on height and years of experience. We want to make sure everyone is safe when they do these cheers.”

She said ultimately, she’s just glad to be involved in a new way.

“For me, I’m excited about working with the kids and the school,” she said. “This is a new layer for what I do here and for my passion for working with students and the community.”