The future of the cheerleaders and cheer program at Olentangy Berlin High School is in the good hands of new head coach Jamal Niles.

    Niles became the coach this year. He has great goals for the program and the teams have already made much improvement with his guidance. One of the biggest changes noticeable in the program is the stunts being showcased at games. 

    The stunts are something never done before at OBHS, and the ability to stunt has brought an entirely new entertainment to the sidelines. 

   Niles has prior experience in the cheer field as he originally began cheer in high school for fun, but ended up interested in it seriously and followed through with it into college. He cheered at Ohio State University and Bowling Green State University, which he later coached at as well. 

    Game day presence is essential to cheerleaders; it’s the feeling expressed throughout games that reflects the spirit and the pride of the school and all its traditions. Niles hopes to improve the cheerleaders’ game day presence even more than already displayed.

   “[For the following seasons, I want the squads to improve on] gameday presence and knowledge on football,” Niles said.

    This is a prominent goal for the teams as they strive to reflect spirit that belongs to “The most spirited high school in America,”(award received from Varsity Brands to Berlin). This goal is only one of many Niles has for the future of the program, the cheerleaders will continue to develop their skills and learn more as the seasons move forward. 

    Along with his first-hand experience with school cheer, he additionally coached competitive cheer teams. His reliable experience and knowledge will be incorporated into the growth of the cheer program at the high school. 

        “My long-term goal is to get cheerleaders to the next level,”Niles said.

   Niles wishes to guide cheerleaders to their goals and help them reach their future objectives, whether it be cheer, dance, etc. He wants to lead them toward the right path. Niles wants to support the cheerleaders and find the place or college that fits them and their future best.

    “I’m excited to continue growing the traditions,” Niles said.

   With all the goals and potential, he still has brought focus to the pride and traditions of Olentangy Berlin High School. Niles wants to keep the traditions as well as add more to the program itself and help enforce the spirit of the OBHS Bears.