After 13 years of coaching the cheer team, it had come time for Miss Heath to leave her position. It’s been years of stunting, competition, and community.

When asked about Ms. Heath, everyone agreed that she is one of the most caring teachers Boise High has ever seen. While she is not departing from  the school, she is resigning from her position as cheer coach.

Our program would not be what it is today without her diligent hard work. “I knew the kids, and I knew the kids needed someone who cared about them. I didn’t know anything about cheer, but over the years I’ve learned things. My goal was to make sure the program went on and the kids had someone who cared about them.”

Her competitive nature and unique coaching style turned Boise High Cheer into what it is today. Before Ms. Heath, cheer did not compete in competitions and focused mainly on sideline cheerleading.

“He [the principal] said, ‘we don’t really support competition.’ I said ‘you can scour the halls and try to find someone to take over this position because if I’m going to do it, we are going to compete.”

Aside from the physical part of cheer, there is also the emotional side. Ms. Heath has forged many bonds with her students. “Ms. Heath is like another mom to me. She’s basically a guardian and I love her a lot,” Cat Deblasio commented on her relationship with Ms. Heath.

“Ms. Heath cares more about her students and the cheerleaders than any other teacher I’ve ever met. She’s very thoughtful and considerate and always checks up on people and keeps up to date with their personal lives to make sure that they are doing okay. She does as much as she can and more to support everyone.” Kate Roe explained.

While it is sad to see her leave the program, proof of her hard work will carry on in the form of the students she taught. When she taught them, she didn’t just teach athletics, she passed down support and knowledge that will change all her students lives for the better.

She has touched many lives and continues to provide a mentoring role in the lives of many students. Everyone who has had the pleasure of being in cheer will cherish the memories they have with her, and we all wish her less stress and more fun in her retirement from cheerleading.