At the end of last May Live Oak High School hired a new
cheerleading coach in hopes to restore the community orientation
and competitive spirit to their cheer program.
By Paul Doherty Sports Editor
At the end of last May Live Oak High School hired a new cheerleading coach in hopes to restore the community orientation and competitive spirit to their cheer program.
Live Oak alumnus Jennifer Fuller was chosen to lead the cheer squad, and is well equipped for the job.
As a student at Live Oak Fuller was on the cheer squad for three years, and as an undergraduate student at Chico State she was on the Cheer and Dance Squad for two years from 2000 to 2003.
As a journalism major in her second year at Chico, Fuller decided that her writing ability would never go away, and that she would rather pursue a career in cosmetology.
Changing course, Fuller left Chico State and enrolled at the Chico Beauty College.
Upon completion of the cosmetology program Fuller returned to Morgan Hill and is now a hair stylist at Dejà Vu Salon in downtown.
“I really wanted to go into business for myself and cosmetology has provided me with that opportunity,” she said.
Fuller attributes her flexible schedule as a self-employed hair stylist, as well as her experience with cheer and dance to her ability to lead the cheer squad.
“I’m young enough to where I can relate to all the girls, but at the same with my experience the girls respect me,” Fuller said.
As a new coach Fuller said she was really surprised at the lack of unity within the program.
With 12 girls on varsity and eight on JV Fuller said she plans on having both cheer squads practice together to help unite the squad as a whole.
“The JV and varsity teams have been really separated, and as far as activities go we’ll be doing a lot them together as a whole,” she said.
So far, Fuller said that her chemistry with the team has been really positive.
Fuller has put rules and guidelines up front and if the girls follow the rules, everything will go smooth, she said.
“We had a three-day workshop where I got to see how the girls took directions, and I think we’re going to have a great year based on how it went,” Fuller said. “I’m not trying to be everybody’s best friend, but I want them to follow suit based on respect.”
With the opening of Sobrato High School in 2004, a lot of the community’s attention has been focused on the Bulldogs, and Fuller said that she wants to bring the spotlight back onto Live Oak.
“Since Sobrato came into the picture they’ve been getting a lot of recognition, and Live Oak has been kind of left in the dust,” she said. “I’m trying to put Live Oak back on the map…not just the cheer squad, but the school as a whole and it’s involvement in the community.”
