Coach Robin Coleman with senior cheerleaders

"I'm just a mom that believes in the youth of our society… [they] need somebody to give them confidence in themselves," says Robin Coleman, Apollo-Ridge's head cheerleading coach. "It's always a love of mine, something I always wanted to do." Even though she is in her first year at Apollo, she coached four years in the midget football program at Saltsburg, and cheered two years herself for the Indiana Indians in high school.

You'd think that Coleman would be facing a great challenge in her first year as she coaches 33 cheerleaders, including middle school and 13 varsity. But she doesn't see it that way. For her, the hardest part is "getting people to realize that this a sport, and the girls work very hard in what they do. It takes athleticism--you have to be strong and prepared. It's not just about jumping around and screaming."

That jumping around takes very dedicated labor and skill, something Robin works on in "many practices as possible." On a squad that is led by senior Captains Mandy Thomas and Andrea Bonelli, Coleman emphasizes teaching new stunts and new dance routines. Along the way, she tries to instill that poise and self-confidence that is the basis of a cheerleader while cheering or performing in front of a gym-full of screaming fans, whether the Vikings are winning or losing. "I get them to believe in themselves…by letting them know I want to hear what they have to say," Robin says.

"These are their high school years," Coleman adds. "I want them to enjoy it and be proud of what they did. …There are a lot of opportunities out there for them. If they work hard... they can do anything. I love this sport and I 'm proud of all my girls. Coleman, who waited several years for the chance to coach the Viking cheerleaders, says "I'm glad I had the opportunity. I hope to live up to my end of the deal and they are pleased with what I do. It was worth the wait."