The California Baptist University cheer team is going through a time of transition after CBU’s head cheer coach stepped down in September 2019, leaving the team to be led by its assistant coaches throughout the 2020 competition season.
After head coach Tamarin Fleming stepped down for personal reasons earlier this school year, assistant coaches Brandon Seagondollar and Olivia Miller have been coaching both blue and gold cheer teams. CBU’s blue cheer team competes, whereas CBU’s gold cheer team performs at CBU games and events.
“Since Tami’s departure, Brandon and I have been able to continue the program on its path of excellence in cheerleading. While Tami was here she did an amazing job of establishing a very well developed program,” said Miller, assistant coach.
“I have been with CBU cheer for 10 years, first as an athlete and then as a coach, and I care very deeply about upholding the traditions of this cheer program. Tami will be greatly missed, but we believe our motto: ‘Passion, God, success,’ is bigger than one person.
Even though both assistant coaches have done a tremendous job coaching the team so far, they have pretty big shoes to fill as Fleming led CBU’s cheer program to win seven consecutive national championships.
“I got the opportunity to be coached by Tami for two years. She made the program what it is now today, but we are so fortunate to have two great assistant coaches,” said Ashley Brown, junior marketing major. “They have been coaching alongside her for a couple years, so they are very aware of what to do.”
The team has worked harder during the transition in leadership to ensure that the coaching change does not affect their ability to work well as a team, with high hopes of winning another National Cheer Association College National championship in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Serena Roberts, sophomore health science major, said, “We can do it. We just need to focus and work hard these next couple months. Our goal is to hit two zero-deduction routines and if we do, then everything will fall into place.”
Next season brings more change to the program as an entirely new team will be headed by Seagondollar. He will return to CBU in fall 2020 as head stunt coach leading the new stunt team through its first season.
Despite the changes, CBU’s cheer team is devoted to bringing home its eighth consecutive championship this year.
The team’s road to that championship starts with the USA Spirit Nationals on Feb. 15-16 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
