New CHS cheer coach BreAnna Boon reacts to the news of her hiring. (Photos courtesy Boon)
Boon was a state and national champ as an Oak Harbor cheerleader.
“Winning or losing, cheer teaches you to find the silver lining in every situation.”
Now, there’s been a lot of winning in BreAnna Boon’s career, but Coupeville High School’s new cheer coach wants her athletes to be prepared for anything that comes their way.
Having been tabbed for the job just as a new season kicks into gear — she replaces Emily Stevens, who resigned to spend more time with family — Boon, a repeat state champion during her own prep days, is all about preaching positive reinforcement.
“This may sound odd, but what I enjoy most about cheer is the positive spirit it promotes,” she said. “Learning how to stay positive is a great life lesson you learn in cheer.
“Team bonding is another great aspect that you achieve in cheer. The bonds that are created between teammates are some of the strongest around,” Boon added. “It teaches the squad how to work well with each other.
“I coach my kids to be kind, be proud, have fun and be a part of something greater than themselves.”
Boon achieved that goal during her days at Oak Harbor High School, capping a nine-year run as a cheerleader that began way back in third grade.
She was a team captain for the 2006 Wildcat fall cheer squad which was operating at full force when OHHS won a 4A state football title.
The ‘Cat cheer squad actually outdid the football team, winning state titles all four years Boon was in high school and adding a national championship in 2006.
“I enjoyed some incredibly exciting years as a cheerleader,” she said.
After graduation from OHHS, she kept her love affair with cheer going as a coach, continuing a pattern she had started while still in school.
During her days in the purple and gold, Boon operated as a volunteer coach with the local youth program.
That later blossomed into working as a coach and cheer director. In recent years, she worked at Anacortes High School and the Mount Vernon Christian School.
Boon, whose husband Tyson is part of an all-new coaching staff for the CHS football program, jumped when the opportunity to coach the Wolves unexpectedly opened.
“My goal has always been to acquire a position here on Whidbey Island, as this is my home,” she said. “I love the small-town feel that Coupeville has to offer.
“A small town means a tight-knit community. And a tight-knit community means everyone stands proud together,” Boon added. “Cheerleading is a activity that helps bring together a school and community in a unique way – around sports.”
The idea of community, of giving back, of having people work together to create something bigger than themselves, is very important to the new Wolf coach.
“My goals are to unite cheerleading with all the other sports teams,” Boon said. “I want the teams to know that the squad has their back no matter what. Win or lose, we will always show our support and pride.
“As a coach, one of my goals is to teach the cheerleaders to take pride in their community,” she added. “I am huge on community service and being able to give back in one way or another, is very important.
“The community does a lot for the school, and this is our way of saying thank you. So contact me if you have some community service for us!”
In the past, Coupeville cheer operated both on the sidelines and in competition. With her own extensive background in competitive cheer, Boon has an eye on bringing back those days, but admits it won’t happen tomorrow.
“Right now fall season is just starting, so I am 100% focused on that,” she said. “I want to build a strong squad that will be ready for whatever season it is.
“We will work starting from the ground up in order to put forth a top-notch cheer program,” Boon added. “Competition season is another incredible side to cheer. I would eventually like to bring competition back to CHS, but for now we are doing one step at a time!”
As she begins to work with her cheerleaders, Boon will be putting down the building blocks for the future.
Like former longtime CHS cheer guru Sylvia Arnold, she wants an inclusive squad which brings pride to its community, in game and out.
“I want to show the town of Coupeville that cheerleading is so much more than the stereotypical stigma that follows it,” Boon said. “It’s about how the squad can impact and make a significant difference not only in the school but the community as well.
“They are cheerLEADERS. We may be cheering on the sidelines, but I expect them to have LEADING roles at all times,” she added. “They are role models, in uniform or not. The squad will be setting the bar pretty high with our leadership on and off the field.”
Whether they are with her for one season or four, Boon’s goal is for each of her athletes to exit head held high, proud of what they accomplished and able to look back on their prep careers with the same joy she feels when she remembers her own journey.
“My goal for these kids, is to help them grow not only as a cheerleader, but also as an individual,” she said. “I hope to help them see the greatness in themselves as well as each other and to be able to appreciate it.
“Everyone who is on the squad is an important part of a very big team,” Boon added. “I want them to be able to take away great friendships and memories that will last throughout the years.”
