Bryan and Lisa Ford
Coupeville’s newest cheer coach knows a true football dynasty when she sees one.
No silly 12th Man hysterics for this lifelong Cheesehead.
“WE LOVE THE GREEN BAY PACKERS; as we are implants being born and raised in Wisconsin our veins run green ‘n gold!,” exclaimed Lisa Ford.
“I need to make sure all know that Brett Favre is my other husband,” she said with a big laugh. “We may need to look into the idea of the girls wearing #4 as then maybe they can learn what a real dynasty is…”
Ford, who has two children, CMS 8th grader Trystan and seven-year-old Samuel, with her husband of 24 years, Bryan, isn’t just a Packer fan, though.
She’s also a former cheerleader and coach who has joined Cheridan Eck’s staff to help guide the large CHS cheer squad.
“I was approached to apply for the assistant coach job a few times,” Ford said. “Life just didn’t allow me the time to devote to it that was needed.
“This year the stars lined up and it worked out on my calendar so I applied,” she added. “With the encouragement of a dear friend and current coach, along with a few other employees, I went for it and was blessed with the honor to coach these beautiful spirited ladies.”
Ford brings a wealth of experience to the position, having been a cheerleader at Lakeside Lutheran High School during her school days in Wisconsin.
Back then, her school had more than 100 girls tryout, and she nabbed one of just six slots on the team, allowing her to cheer for football, basketball and wrestling.
“It was a lot of fun!,” Ford said. “Football cheer being my most favorite.”
After graduation, she did coaching stints at two high schools, including her alma mater, and an elementary school.
When Trystan became a football player, Ford then morphed into being a team mom for a squad coached by her husband, while doing time on youth football boards and as a president and vice president in the PTA.
A Navy wife — Bryan retired in 2012 — she’s combined coaching with bringing up two talented sons.
Trystan is a team captain for the CMS gridiron squad who brings home a 3.8 gpa, while Samuel is a special inspiration.
A precocious kid who hasn’t allowed heart defects or autism to slow him down, he remains “a joy and one of the silliest boys I know.”
Taking the cheer job allows Ford a chance to reconnect with her passion for cheer.
“Honestly, I love being on the sidelines near all the action,” she said. “I love that these ladies get to show their talents in leading a crowd to support their favorite team!
“The teamwork, camaraderie, friendships and confidence these girls lead with is so fun to watch develop and see.”
Ford will be working closely with Eck to help the large Wolf squad (with close to 30 girls, it dwarfs her own high school team) hone their skill-set.
“I hope they of course learn new techniques, stay on top of their game and show their team spirit,” she said. “I hope they add to their confidence and leadership skills.
“One of my cheerleaders leads our girls with the reminder of her family motto and it is one of our family mottos as well,” Ford added. “That motto is you can do anything if you put homework first, family second, and cheer third.
“Everything else will fall into place!”
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