The Sedona Red Rock High School cheer program got a new look, a new coach and a whole new squad this year.

Gencarla Aguilar replaced Angela Biermann as head coach of the Scorpion cheer squad. Biermann was the cheer coach for the past eight years.

“I was helping the team over the summer as a volunteer helper,” Aguilar said. “Cheerleading was my high school sport. I love the dancing part of it, and I would choreograph my squad’s dances. When Amanda stepped down, no one was stepping up so I decided to do it.”

Aguilar was a cheerleader at Mingus Union High School in Cottonwood during her high school years, but before becoming SRRHS coach, she had to become a certified cheer coach through the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators.

“People don’t realize that cheer is one of the most dangerous sports,” Aguilar said. “When you are stunting or tumbling, you need to know what you are doing or the girls will get seriously hurt.”

This year, there are 14 students on the squad, 12 girls and two boys.

The entire squad is brand new to cheerleading except for the two captains, seniors Shayla Jones and Catina Lagomarsino.

“It was tough transitioning to a new coach this year because [Biermann] was hard to replace. We were so close with her,” Jones said. “But getting to know the new girls, we’ve become a family.”

For the full story, please see the Friday, Oct. 12, issue of the Red Rock News.