Katie Kidd, Cheer Director , Cheer and Tumble Coach, Choreographer, USASF Certified Level 5
In addition to doing recreational cheerleading & sports growing up, Katie cheered throughout middle & high school, and participated in allstar cheerleading as well. Katie has had 8 years of dance training, 4 years of gymnastics, and 2 years of tumbling. She has coached tumbling to kids from many area schools, and has choreographed routines for several area middle, high school & allstar teams. She organized and taught all the after school cheer programs for Botetourt County elementary schools. She was Cheerleading and Tumbling Director for BGA Jags for 5 years where she was certified with AACCA. She also participated on the SW VA Open Allstar Cheerleading Team. She has been with Synergy Cheer for the last 6 years and is Cheer Director and choreographer. Teams she has coached have won many regional and National titles, and cheerleaders gone on to cheer for high school & college teams as well as coach. Katie is a graduate from Virginia Western Community College and currently coaches the allstar teams and teaches tumbling and cheer classes. She is USASF safety Certified in all levels (levels 1-6 stunting, levels 1-5 tumbling & levels 1-6 tosses).
Jessie Anderton, Cheer and Tumble Coach, USASF Certified Level 4
Jessie has been with Synergy Cheer for 6 years but started out doing recreational cheerleading for 3 years. She went on to make the Hidden Valley Middle School Squad for 2 years where she served as Captain. She participated in all star cheerleading with Star City Spirit before joining Synergy Cheer where she competed on teams that won multiple National and Grand Champion titles. During her Junior and Senior years she cheered for Varsity Football and the Competition teams at Hidden Valley HIgh School and was named 2nd team All District her senior year. She also cheered for Hidden Valley High School Varsity Football and Basketball as well as the Competition team and Sideline for Ferrum College. Jessie currently attends college and coaches tumbling classes and some of our allstar teams and is USASF certified to Level 4.
Don Ayton, Cheer and Tumble Coach, USASF Certification Pending
Don is beginning his 5th year at Synergy Cheer and is a 2011 graduate of Hidden Valley High School. He is currently attending Virginia Western studying Dental Hygiene. Don started out with Synergy on a level 2 squad and quickly progressed to level 5 Senior Inferno with his exceptional talent and passion for cheer and tumbling. He cheered Varsity Football Sideline and the Competition team for Hidden Valley High School, which placed 3rd in the State in 2010. Don also was invited and participated with Cheer Extreme Allstars at Worlds in Orlando in 2011. Don has participated on Synergy teams that have earned many National and Grand Championship titles. Don also was named Cheer Power Varsity Duet National Champion in 2010. Don is amazing with music production and choreography and does music and helps with choreography for Synergy teams and individual routines. He also helps out with cheer clinics & tumbling classes as well as some of our allstar teams and will participate on Synergy Senior Blaze and Inferno this year. Don is pending USASF certification.
Jen Gray, Cheer Coach, USASF Certification Pending
Jen has been involved in the sport of cheerleading since the age of 4 years old. She started with recreational cheerleading and continued to cheer in middle and high school. While at Staunton River High School, Jen was awarded UCA All American Cheerleader 3 years in a row and had the honor of cheering for the New Orleans Sugar bowl, the Pasadena Rose Bowl and the Hawaii Hula Bowl. She went on to cheer at Liberty University where she coached a football recreation cheerleading team until graduation. After college she had the privilege of cheering for the Roanoke Dazzle NBA- DL team for 2 seasons & the Roanoke Rampage for 1 season. Jen is married to her college sweetheart and has a beautiful baby boy named Carter. She is extremely passionate about cheerleading and also dedicated to the healthcare field and community service. She also loves the beach, modern rock & running marathons.
Kristin, Katie's older sister, also participated in recreational cheerleading and sports, and cheered throughout her school years. She loves working with kids and also worked as a lifeguard each summer. In 2004, she received the American Red Cross Good Samaritan Award for heroism for saving a 5 year old boy from drowning, the highest award given to individuals by the Red Cross. Kristin went on to cheer at Radford University, where she graduated with a Bachelors degree in Education and teaches Elementary School art. She has coached tumbling and gymnastics as well as been a cheer coach for BGA Jags and Staunton River High School. She was a UCA All-American Cheerleader, McDonald's All-American cheerleader and a Christian Cup Invitational All-American Cheerleader. She also cheered for William Byrd and was on the SW Virgina Open Allstar cheerleading Team. She was 1st runner up in the Miss Roanoke Valley Pageant in 2005 where her talent was of course, cheerleading and tumbling! Kristin has choreographed some area high school's competition routines. Kristin currently coaches tumbling and cheer classes, and cheered on the Burnouts. She is USASF safety Certified in all levels (levels 1-6 stunting, levels 1-5 tumbling & levels 1-6 tosses).
Emily Craft, Cheer and Tumble Coach, USASF Certified Level 4
Emily is a 2011 graduate of Hidden Valley High School and attends Virginia Tech. Emily earned a coveted spot on the VT HighTechs. She was named Cheerpower Varsity Best Cheerleader Individual National Champion and competed on Synergy teams that have won multiple National and Grand Champion titles. Emily also cheered throughout her years at Hidden Valley Middle School where she served as Captain, and at Hidden Valley High School where she cheered Varsity football &Varsity basketball Sideline and the Competition teams, and also served as Captain. She was a member of the 2010 HV competition team that placed 3rd at States. Emily was named 1st Team All District during her Junior and Senior years. She was also recently named Senior of the Year for Cheer and Dance Extreme and awarded a scholarship and a cover picture on Inside Cheerleading magazine. Emily helps with cheer clinics, tumbling classes & is exceptional with choreography where she helps with many individual routines. Emily previously coached Hot Shots and Upward youth cheerleading and Synergy Cheer Tiny & Mini teams. Emily is USASF safety certified to level 4.
Rachel Williams, Junior Cheer & Tumble Coach, USASF Certification Pending
Rachel has cheered for 10 years starting out at the age of 6 doing recreational cheerleading where she got a small taste of competition cheerleading. This inspired her to try All-Star Competition cheerleading which she has done ever since with Star City Spirit, BGA Jags and finally Synergy Cheer where she has participated on teams that have won many National and Grand Championship titles. She has been named Cheer Power Varsity Duet Best Cheerleader, Varsity Hip Hop Duet, as well as Junior Jump National Champion. Rachel has also cheered throughout her years at Hidden Valley Middle School where she served as Captain and at Hidden Valley High School where she is currently a Junior. She competed on the HV Competition team her Freshman and Sophomore years and was on the 2010 team that placed 3rd at States, and has been on the Varsity Sideline team for football since her Freshman year. Rachel has a passion and talent for coaching as well and is exceptionally good at stunting and enjoys helping flyers perfect their skills. She has helped with many camps as well as the Mini Synergy Teams and co-coached the Tiny Sparks to a 4th place finish at Cheer Power Nationals. Rachel also excels at choreography and wants to cheer on the collegiate level upon graduation as well as coach in the future. She will compete on the Synergy Senior Blaze team this year.
Synergy Cheer of VA, Inc Officers & Staff
President Paige Anderton
Secretary/WebMaster Jana Williams
Treasurer Jill Craft
