The launch of middle school cheer has brought a boost of energy and excitement to football and basketball games across the Shawnee Mission School District this school year.
Following the recent additions of football and soccer, cheerleading is the latest sport to expand athletic opportunities at the middle school level. Now, each of the district’s five middle schools has three cheer squads – one each for football, girls basketball, and boys basketball.
A total of 258 students participated in cheer this year, a number that district athletic director Kent Glaser finds exciting. “The addition of cheer has brought lots of smiling faces,” said Glaser. “We’ve seen incredible enthusiasm from students, families, and our school communities.”
At Trailridge Middle School, teacher and coach Britt Qualls remembers exactly where she was when she learned cheer was being added to middle school athletics. “I ran to my assistant principal and said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me! I’m so excited!’” she recalled. “This has been missing for a long time at the middle level, and having it here makes it so much more accessible to all kinds of kids from every kind of background, and that is really important.”
Tryouts at Trailridge drew more than 40 students in the fall, a mix of seventh and eighth graders. To make the process less intimidating, Qualls teamed up with the Shawnee Mission Northwest varsity cheer squad, who helped lead a four-day try-out clinic. The high schoolers taught cheers, chants, and jumps, and they’ve continued to return throughout the season to help.
“They’ve been incredible mentors,” Qualls shared. “They have given our cheerleaders a glimpse of what high school cheer is like and have helped them build skills and confidence.”
For eighth grader Zoe Pattison, joining the Trailridge cheer team has been a dream come true. “I’d hoped for middle school cheer since sixth grade,” she explained. “When my mom got the email saying it was really happening, I was so excited!”
Cheer has given Pattison a chance to connect with her school community in a new way. “In cheer, we learn teamwork, that everyone counts,” she said. “You have to be bold, positive, and responsible because you’re representing your school. I’ve made great new friends and I’ve become more confident.”
These days there’s an extra buzz in the hallways on game days, Qualls said. “When you see students in their uniforms walking through the school, it brings a whole new energy. It’s contagious.”
As more students join athletics, the sense of school pride continues to grow. That’s exactly the goal, said Dr. David Stubblefield, deputy superintendent. “Education-based athletics are an extension of the classroom. Students learn teamwork, resilience, leadership, and character. Those are skills that last a lifetime.”
This first year has been full of learning, and Qualls is already planning for what’s next. “This was our foundation year,” she shared. “Next year, we’ll have returning cheerleaders ready to lead. We’re just getting started.”
The story of the district’s first year of middle school cheer is also featured in episode 3.12 of the district podcast, Shawnee Mission Mic’d Up. Click here to watch the episode.
In the episode, superintendent Dr. Michael Schumacher and podcast co-host Dr. Brittany Gonser talk with Indian Woods Middle School cheer coach Erin Layman about the first year of middle school cheer. The conversation highlights student participation, growing school spirit, and how the addition of cheer is expanding opportunities for connection and belonging across the SMSD. Click here to listen, download, or subscribe.
Shawnee Mission School District is the third largest school district in Kansas. The district serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade in 34 elementary schools, five middle schools, five high schools, and several educational centers. It has been consistently ranked among the finest school districts nationwide for its high student performance. The district’s objective is that each student will have a personalized learning plan that will prepare them for college and careers, with the interpersonal skills they need for life success. The district serves a diverse student population from 14 cities within northeast Johnson County, Kansas, which is 10 miles from downtown Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, visit www.smsd.org.
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