Universal Cheerleaders Association - Where America Cheers:: HomeMidwest Pg

Heather Kennedy
State Director - Ohio

Heather is the UCA State Director for Ohio. She can help you throughout your entire season in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many things that Heather can do for you:

-Help you select judges and prepare for your teams tryouts
-Help you choose the best summer camp for your team
-Register your team for camp
-Register your team for any regional competition
-Update your invoice/registrations if you have changes that need to be made
-Provide the tools you need to start, build, and maintain a successful cheer team program at your school or in your community.

Get to Know Heather!

Hometown: Centerville, OH
Education: University of Tennessee
Favorite TV Show: Grey's Anatomy
Advice: Safety! Safety! There are many things you can do to help create a safe cheerleading environment. Education is key! Be sure to contact me to find camps, certifications and coaches clinics near you! I can help you make your cheerleading program safe!
Favorite Quote: "Don't just float through life, make waves" - Unknown

Ryan Salsgiver
State Director - Illinois & Michigan

Ryan is the UCA State Director for Illinois and Michigan. He can help you throughout your entire season in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many things that Ryan can do for you:

-Help you select judges and prepare for your teams tryouts
-Help you choose the best summer camp for your team
-Register your team for camp
-Register your team for any regional competition
-update your invoice/registrations if you have changes that need to be made
-Provide the tools you need to start, build, and maintain a successful cheer team program at your school or in your community.

Get to know Ryan!

Hometown: Berea, OH
Education: Bowling Green State University
Favorite TV Show: Dexter, Entourage, Hell's Kitchen, The Mole
Favorite aspect of cheerleading: Being a cheerleader, I loved being in the middle of all the sports action. Being a state director, I love the opportunity to have a positive affect on young people's lives.
Advice: I would tell coaches to teach at a slow pace. "You have to learn to crawl before you can walk." Cheerleaders learn incorrect techniques because they don't know the basics. Spend more time teaching the basics and the difficult stunts will come easier.
Favorite Quote: "It's not just a daydream if you decided to make it your life." From the rock group Train.

Shaylee Wilson
State Director - Indiana

Shaylee is the UCA State Director for Indiana. She can help you throughout your entire season in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many things that Shaylee can do for you:

-Help you select judges and prepare for your teams tryouts
-Help you choose the best summer camp for your team
-Register your team for camp
-Register your team for any regional competition
-update your invoice/registrations if you have changes that need to be made
-Provide the tools you need to start, build, and maintain a successful cheer team program at your school or in your community.

Get to know Shaylee!

Hometown: Bloomington, Indiana
Education: Indiana University
Favorite TV show: Unwrapped, Grey's Anatomy
Favorite aspect of cheerleading: Although I love the increased athleticism in cheerleading and the development of new skills year after year, my favorite aspect of cheerleading is the traditional purpose for why cheerleading exists. Cheerleaders are there to promote school spirit, enthusiasm, good sportsmanship and to lead the crowd in cheering on their team at athletic events. They play a very important role in upholding these duties and representing their school.
Advice: My advice for coaches is to realize the positive impact they can have on the kids they work with. Just like coaching any other sport coaching cheerleading isn't just about teaching a great toe touch or the most elite stunts it is about teaching life skills that can be used even beyond your time spent with them.
Favorite Quote: "Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it."

Ashley Parnell
State Director - Missouri & Nebraska

Ashley is the UCA State Director for Missouri & Nebraska. She can help you throughout your entire season in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many things that Beth can do for you:

-Help you select judges and prepare for your teams tryouts
-Help you choose the best summer camp for your team
-Register your team for camp
-Register your team for any regional competition
-update your invoice/registrations if you have changes that need to be made
-Provide the tools you need to start, build, and maintain a successful cheer team program at your school or in your community.

Get to Know Ashley!

Hometown: Springfield, MO
Education: Drury University, Springfield, MO Bachelor's Degree. Double Majored in Public Relations & Marketing with a Minor in Global Studies
Favorite TV show: Grey's Anatomy
Favorite aspect of cheerleading: Getting the crowd excited and yelling together in support of their team.
Advice: Cheerleading provides coaches with the opportunity to teach many life lessons that will help to develop this young people into productive, self-confident, caring adults. Cheerleading teaches them hard work, perseverance, competitiveness, sportsmanship and teamwork. But don't overlook the other life skills that they can gain: optimism, respectfulness, accountability, self-discipline, time management, responsibility, compassion, and leadership. Take the times at practice, games, and competitions to draw your team's attention to these teachable moments. Everyday offers opportunities to teach these needed skills and, in the process, will help your cheerleaders to navigate their way through their life's challenges in essence making them better people.
Favorite Quote: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." – Dr. Seuss

Ed Scholz
State Director - Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa

Ed is the UCA State Director for Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. She can help you throughout your entire season in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many things that Ed can do for you:

-Help you select judges and prepare for your teams tryouts
-Help you choose the best summer camp for your team
-Register your team for camp
-Register your team for any regional competition
-update your invoice/registrations if you have changes that need to be made
-Provide the tools you need to start, build, and maintain a successful cheer team program at your school or in your community.

Get to know Ed!

Hometown: Depue, IL
Education: Marquette University
Favorite TV Show: Simpsons
Favorite aspect of Cheerleading: I love how it shows a sense of strength from everyone that participates.
Advice: Do not have regrets in life and follow heart.

Kevin Clanton
State Director - Colorado, Kansas & Wyoming

Kevin is the UCA State Director for Colorado, Kansas & Wyoming. He can help you throughout your entire season in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many things that Kevin can do for you:

-Help you select judges and prepare for your teams tryouts
-Help you choose the best summer camp for your team
-Register your team for camp
-Register your team for any regional competition
-Update your invoice/registrations if you have changes that need to be made
-Provide the tools you need to start, build, and maintain a successful cheer team program at your school or in your community.

Get to know Kevin!

Hometown: Columbia Falls, MT
Education: University of Montana
Favorite TV Show: The Amazing Race
Favorite aspect of cheerleading: Developing confidence in young adults
Favorite Quote: The smartest people in the world aren't the ones who answer questions, they are the ones who ask questions.

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