Student-athletes on the revived La Grande High School cheerleading squad pose in the LHS Commons in June 2023. The return of a cheer squad at LHS fits nicely with one of the goals of Chelsea Hurliman, the school's new principal: to improve and build school spirit and culture. 

LA GRANDE — A few years back, La Grande teacher Kimberly Westenskow and her husband attended a football game in Vale to watch the Tigers. In addition to watching the game, Westenskow noticed something missing from La Grande sports.

“Vale had cheerleaders on their side of the field,” Westenskow said. “On the way home, I asked my husband why La Grande does not have cheerleaders.”

That single question started a series of meetings with school officials, talking with community members and finally, starting this fall, a return of cheerleading to La Grande sports after a number of years without Tiger teams having sideline support. A former member of a high school dance team in Idaho, with numerous national titles in her past, Westenskow said the community and the school can benefit from a cheer team.

“La Grande High School needs some help with school spirit,” she said. “We have talented students who are not varsity athletes in other sports wanting to contribute. The community wants cheerleaders, and coaches from the other sports are already contacting me asking the (cheer) team to attend games. This is something that is needed, not just for the high school but for the community as a whole.”

An initial obstacle was convincing school officials that cheer is a sport, not a club activity.

“For this first year, we will not be competing at state competitions, but that is a goal for next year,” Westenskow said. “This is truly a sport with talented athletes. I refused to allow this to be classified as a club and then have to fight for it to be a sport down the road. We are starting the program with cheer as a sport, open to both boys and girls.”

The new team has already completed tryouts and 26 student-athletes are ready to begin practice to take to the sidelines in the fall. Additional tryouts will be held for the winter sports season.

“These athletes are fantastic role models, great students and leaders in the school,” Westenskow said. “We want (children) looking up to this group and wanting to become cheerleaders in high school.”

The experience and background of the squad varies.

In the fall, Aviendha Durrant will begin her senior year at La Grande High School. She was taking a break from the world of dance after eight years of taking the stage when she heard of tryouts.

“I had stopped dancing for a year and thought this would be a fun way to get back into it,” she said. “School spirit at games has always centered around the band and cheer just adds to that. The squad also gives me a chance to know the younger students in the high school.”

An incoming sophomore, Hannah Zamora is squeezing in cheer between the sports of swimming and track and field for the Tigers.

“Cheer is something new for me and it has been a fun experience,” she said.

Rhiley Lees, also an incoming sophomore, joins the team after attending cheer camps when younger.

“My dad was not a fan of cheerleading when I was little,” she said. “I changed his mind and now he is a big supporter. I am very excited La Grande decided to start this team. We are a fun, diverse group of athletes and excited for the season to start and perform.”

With the Tigers joining the ranks in cheer, all four 4A Greater Oregon League schools now have cheer teams.