When Savanna Pendleton graduated from Portsmouth High School in 2019, she might have thought her cheerleading days were over. This year Pendleton is back, recently hired as a Pre-School Teacher at Portsmouth Elementary and the High School Cheerleading Advisor.
“I was a cheerleader for all four years of high school, and even in pee-wee and junior high. I always knew I wanted to coach cheer, but I didn’t think it would be this early,” she said. “I’m glad to take the opportunity when it presented itself and I’m excited to get started.”
As cheerleading advisor, Pendleton said she is preparing for try-outs soon. The team will practice in the summer at cheer camp, where they can compete against other schools and learn new dances and cheers. Those skills are also shared throughout their pee-wee and junior high cheerleading camps.
“Stacey Reed is going to help me in the beginning to get my bearings. She coached junior high cheer before. I also still have Barb Gibson helping me, and she has been a cheer coach for so long,” Pendleton said. “There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes that goes into cheerleading that a lot of people don’t understand, so having her guidance is going to be great for me. She was my cheer advisor when I was in high school, so we already have a good relationship.”
She hopes that as an advisor she can share her love for the district with her team.
“I’m really looking forward to continuing on with what the cheer squad has been. I feel like we have the best cheer squad in the county – if not the state. I love our cheer squad and I’m really excited to get started with them,” Pendleton said.
For more information about Portsmouth City Schools, visit them online at www.portsmouthtrojans.net, or follow the school’s page on Facebook.