Three new head coaches have landed in Piedmont, with Kara Chung and Ashley Sun for cheerleading and Coach B for cross country.

Both Chung and Sun are first-year coaches, and are cheerleaders themselves at UC Berkeley.  The two also cheered throughout high school in a competitive environment.

“They come from schools where cheer was very popular and also super hard, so they know how to push our team to the next level,” cheerleader Tia Ikemoto said.

Although Chung is a first-year coach, she said she already has plans and goals for her team.

“I wanted to help build the cheerleading program at PHS, because I love cheerleading and was excited to be able to teach what I love,” Chung said.  “Ultimately, we would like PHS Cheer to transition from a performance team to a competitive team.”

To achieve this, Chung said the cheerleaders are incorporating more intense stunts into new routines by building a strong foundation.

Coach B, who coached cross country at Stuart Hall High School in San Francisco for five years, said she was immediately impressed with the team’s motivation at the beginning of the season.

“I didn’t have to let them know that they needed to be jogging; there wasn’t any walking,” Coach B said. “They were very self motivated.”

Coach B does have goals for the team.  She said running requires attention to what one is doing when not active.

“I hope they can control the amount of outside activities so they can be consistent runners,” Coach B said.  “Running is really based on practicing five to six days a week, and it will make a difference.”

While cross country runners may have a busy schedule, the cheerleaders find time to bond with Chung and Sun through various activities off the field, Ikemoto said.

“Their age allows them to connect with the team more than if our coaches were older. The girls feel very close to the two coaches, and the trust between them and the team is very tight,” Ikemoto said.  “They’re more than mentors, they’re also friends, which is why we love spending time with Ashley and Kara as much as we love being coached by them.”