Athletic department picks new cheerleading coach
The Assistant Athletic Director, Jimmy Wilson, supports the hire.
“We are very fortunate to have Jimmy Redus as our new cheerleading coach,” Wilson said. “Several of the cheerleaders have worked with him before and we are very excited that he was able and willing to join us.”
Redus has been cheering since 1988, when he was in high school. He went on to cheer for the varsity squad at Mississippi State University from 1990-1994. After he graduated from MSU with a bachelor’s in fitness management and a master’s in sport administration, he went on to coach the MSU varsity cheerleading squad from 1994-1996.
He then moved to Macon, Ga. where he started the area’s first competitive cheerleading squad, Middle Georgia All-Stars. He is now vice president and all-star director of Middle Georgia Cheer Extreme, Inc., which he co-founded with his wife, Jessica, in 1999. Redus also assisted with the Mercer University cheer squad in 1997 and led them to their first National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) National Tournament.
“I am excited about getting to know the traditions here at GCSU through the basketball games and hopefully increase the spirit here at the school. I want to start having people come out who want to cheer and help develop their talents,” Redus said. “They may not have the skills that they need to start, but we can help them gain the skills needed.”
Redus also has plans to transform the cheerleading program.
“I eventually want to have more than one cheerleading squad,” Redus said. “I would like to have one squad that cheers at the games and also have a competitive squad with the best talent on it.”
Redus heard about the part-time coaching job opening from a couple of students whom he had previously worked with.
“I’ve helped out with GCSU cheerleading in the past and was familiar with the program,” Redus said. “When they called and asked me to come up I felt very honored. I have a couple of kids on the squad that I had worked with before and look forward to working with them again.”
Julianna Stradley has been cheering for GCSU for two years and is excited about Redus joining the squad.
“Jimmy will bring a lot of experience to the squad. I think that he’ll bring in new, innovative ideas as far as stunting and choreography go,” Stradley said. “I’m excited because the team as a whole this year seems to be very hard working and motivated. I think we have a chance of doing very well at the national competition this year.”
The cheerleading squad will start focusing on their routine for nationals in January. The first competition will be at the NCAA Nationals competition in Daytona Beach, Fla. in April. Last season the squad was runner-up at the Peach Belt Conference Championships, but failed to advance to the final round of the Division II National Championships last April.
“I want to bring back the tradition of going to nationals and doing well at nationals,” Redus said. “Our goal for this year is to get in the top three.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Oct 17 2008. Filed under Sports.
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