Glenpool Cheer

Melissa Reed has roots in the Glenpool community. She graduated from Glenpool High School, where she cheered and played basketball, and she is now in her twelfth year as the varsity head cheer coach.

“I love the Glenpool community,” said Reed. “It’s always been home for me, and I love that I get to come to work here every day, and that my kids get to come to Glenpool for their education.”

Reed is a teacher at Glenpool as well as a coach.

“The best part about coaching cheer is the relationships I get to build with my athletes,” said Reed. “As a teacher, you’re lucky to have a kid for more than one or two semesters, but as a coach I get to watch some of them grow from timid freshmen into confident young adults as seniors.”

When asked to characterize this year’s cheer squad in one word, Reed said: accomplished.

“Definitely a highlight for us was competing in the Large Co-ed division for the first time,” said Reed. “Several of the elite top teams compete in that division. As a school much smaller, it was a little intimidating thinking about going up against some of the 6A powerhouse programs, but our kids went out and performed what they do to the best of their ability and we were able to hang in the top four, only behind some really talented schools. For us, just being the top 5A team in that division felt amazing and like we had accomplished something really great for our program. There’s no better feeling as a coach than to see your kids’ hard work pay off in a flawless performance and have them feel good about what they put out there.”

The team looked to four-year varsity cheerleaders Maddie Guilliams and Bryle Admire as leaders this season, as well as seniors Grier Petty and Livi Bedrosian. Also noted is co-ed stunter Bryar Lish, the first boy to cheer at GHS in more than a decade.

Some underclassmen who will be ones to watch in the program are juniors Addie Hackler and Claire Watts, two quiet but strong leaders.