For the past four years, the school’s cheerleading team has changed coaches with every new season. Once again the team welcomes a new coach, Alexa Young. Young currently goes to school at the University of Kansas where she studies social welfare and psychology. 

Young graduated from Magruder in 2019, where she cheered on the school team. Young also cheered at Shockwave Allstars, now known as Cheer Extreme DMV, and has also dived for 10 years, and competed for the University of Kansas’ club diving team. “I am going to try to get a paraeducator job within MCPS, and I will also be working towards my master’s in school counseling,” Young said. 

Young wants to create consistency within the team, with team bonding and workouts planned to keep the team as a unit for the fall season. Young said cheerleading plays an important role in school spirit, maintaining positive energy and keeping the school atmosphere fun and exciting.  

Young hopes to make it to regionals and qualify to stay within Division I. “I want to make sure we are keeping the legacy that is Wootton cheer, and ensure we have a close team that is bonded together to support the school in any way needed,” Young said. 

Young has a strong foundation, with over 15 returners for the fall season. She also encourages those who are wishing to try out to start working now and encourages students in all grades to try out. Young is looking for athletes with tumbling higher than a round-off back handspring, along with standing tumbling, to show. 

Junior captain Josie Starr said she is excited about the fall season. Starr is anticipating the fall season and is looking forward to getting to know Young better.  “I think last season our team was very focused on bringing the spirit back to school after Covid, but this upcoming season we will focus a lot on building a strong competition team,” Starr said. 

The returning cheerleaders are excited to be back and working with a new coach. Young will be creating all the routines, setting the standard of the team, and making sure everyone is safe while being the backbone of the team. Last year, the team did not compete, making it challenging to come back and have the team ready for the season. Young, however, seems to be bonding with the girls well and plans on getting the team as ready for the competition season as they can be.  

The team will be competing throughout the fall season, and have a winter sideline season. Junior Victoria Doti competed her first-year last season, and did not have the chance to compete. “I think she gets along with the team really well and that it will be super fun to get to know her more, and  I’m probably most excited about competing since we weren’t able to last year,“ Doti said.