College of Southern Nevada’s first cheer team accepting members
Music blared from the gym at the College of Southern Nevada’s North Las Vegas campus as the college’s first cheerleader squad formed a line to perform a routine during one of its first practices.
For the first time since it opened in the 1970s, CSN will have a cheer team that will cheer at volleyball, soccer, baseball and softball games, along with pep rallies, according to Tiffany Boulter, the team’s coach. There are 14 members on the team as of now, Boulter said. Each member pays $200 for warmup outfits, practice gear and shoes, Boulter said.
Nailah Castilo of Centennial Hills, a freshman, said she has danced for the majority of her life. She heard about the opportunity through a high school dance coach.
“Everyone is friendly and if you don’t get something, there’s always someone looking to help you,” said Castilo, 18. “This team is something the school definitely needs. It gives the girls who are new here a chance to meet new people, and then we hype the crowd up.”
Boulter, of east Las Vegas, said she was approached by the CSN athletic department last year.
“They were talking about the idea of having (a cheerleading team) and asking if I’d be on board if it was approved,” Boulter said. “It was, and in June we officially announced it to the students. We took on about 12 at tryouts, but I’ve had multiple people contact me after. Just last week, 10 different people reached out.”
Boulter hopes to see the program grow exponentially, she said. She worked about five years as a cheer coach in Utah before coming to Las Vegas.
“The kids are finding out who they are, and I get to be there to mentor them,” Boulter said. “Just with the girls I’ve had so far, I’m super excited to help them develop their talent in cheer and dance. It’s just really fun to see it click. It’s fun to kind of be a big sister, but not. Just to help someone through what you’ve already gone through. And the fun things I always got to do.”
Jhailen Moorer-Johnson of east Las Vegas wasn’t planning to take cheer any further than high school, she said, until she found out about the team at CSN.
“When I heard about it, I was really excited,” said Moorer-Johnson, 17. “The thing I like is that everyone knows what they’re doing. Everyone is good in their own way. I’ve been cheering since I was seven. That’s probably a big reason why I wanted to continue it. I feel it’s important because everyone always needs that extra uplift, and that’s what we’re here for, to give that spirit to the crowd.
Boulter hopes to recruit both male and female members, she said.
“We’re open to a co-ed team, but we just haven’t had any guys who are interested yet,” Boulter said.
Contact Mia Sims at msims@
Whom to contact
To learn more or sign up for the team, contact Tiffany Boulter at tiffany.boulter@csn.edu.
