Stephanie Ybarra Hello fellow GSSA members it with great pride I accept this nomination from my asst. coach who has been there for me through the ups and downs for most of my long 14 year career. Also as a former cheerleader of mine I thank you Amador. My name is Stephanie Ybarra and I have been a member of GSSA for the past 10 years attending every conference since day one. In my long career I’ve been at three schools coaching/advising at the high school level. The past 2 years I’ve made Northview High School in the city of Covina my home. The students didn’t welcome me with easy and it took a lot to gain their respect and trust. I was their fourth coach in about 4 years. They had no structure, organization, proper equipment, and very much in debt. The kids taught themselves and were afraid to perform in front of their peers for all they got was laughed at; the cheer program had no respect. I took this team knowing it wouldn’t be easy and re-worked everything establishing a booster club with active parent involvement, new uniforms, coaching staff, structure, equipment and most of all organization. With the help of the parents and kids we raised over $15,000.00 our first year. I along with my coaching staff taught them the proper technique needed to be able to go in front of their peers and to have a great time performing with learning and understanding what it took to be a high school cheerleader. Becoming leaders of their school and support all sports and activities. To also understand that as long as they gave it a 110% each time they were in the public eye and walked away feeling good about themselves was all I could ever hope for. That first year I established their first competition team picking 23 of its strongest members their goal was to just qualify for nationals they qualified. They went to USA Nationals that year for the very first time in Northview’s history and they placed 11th. This year has been a most rewarding one keeping the same structure to continue Northview’s success. They have become recognized in their community they were asked to perform for the city’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony. They now can’t wait to perform for their peers and have earned numerous respect from all. Our hard work was rewarded with a regulation cheer floor that the school and booster club paid for. This year’s competition team qualified for USA Nationals again the kids had set a higher goal this time to make it to finals they accomplished that goal and more placing 3rd overall. My coaching philosophy is simple I’m there to do a job. I’m hard and tough but know how to compromise and keep my kids on task. I ask that they come into practice with an open mind willing to learn and always give their all. Knowing that no goal as little or large is worth trying accomplish from just getting a forward roll to hitting a particular stunt. To this day I still keep in contact with numerous alumni and they still call me coach and talk about their high school cheer days on how I made an impact into their lives. Alone hearing that makes everything I do worth it to me to keep coaching year after year. For we know as a coach it isn’t the money it’s what we can do to help the future of the world in the kids of today. |
