Stephanie Chingas named Cheer Coach of the Year

Stephanie Chingas, cheerleading coach at American Leadership Academy in Spanish Fork, was recently named Coach of the Year during state competition at Salt Lake Community College.

In addition, the ALA Eagles cheer team just returned home from the USA Spirit Nationals in Anaheim, California, where it competed against top schools. The team placed ninth in the nation in the Co-Ed Varsity Show Cheer Non-Tumbling Division.

“The boys and girls worked really hard and I’m very proud of them for performing what was probably their best routine of the year at the national competition,” Coach Chingas said.

Chingas has been the head cheer coach at American Leadership Academy since 2009. She began working there as a teacher’s aide when the school opened in 2005.

Chingas earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies at San Diego State University and California State University Sacramento in 1995. Upon graduating, she worked at KXTV Channel 10 in Sacramento as an assignment desk editor and reporter.

In 1999, she and her husband moved to Utah to raise their family

In her seven years of coaching at ALA, she has built a strong program of dedicated athletes who have lead their teams to several competition titles including region first-place titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017; a second-place state title in 2015; a first- place state title in 2016; and a third-place state title this year. Other titles include a ninth-place finish at the USA Spirit Nationals in Anaheim, California, in 2014 and 11th place in 2016.

Tryouts for ALA’s 2017-18 Spirit and Competition teams will be held April 25 through 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the high school gym. Tryouts are open to incoming ninth- through 12th-grade boys or girls. There will be a parent meeting on April 20 at 6 p.m. in the high school library.