Executive Board
meet our...
President
Sandi Gildehaus
Sandi Gildehaus has been an active member of MCCA since 2003 and has served on competition and all state-committees. Sandi held an At-Large executive board position for 6 years before running for president in 2022. Sandi was the St. Louis Competition director for 12 years and the State competition director for 1 year. Sandi coached cheer at St Francis Borgia for 19 years - in that time won 10 State Championships, 1 Game Day State Championship, and was a Finalist in 2022 at UCA Nationals. Sandi was voted Borgia Coach of the Year in 2011. Sandi was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 as a cheer coach. Sandi serves on the MSHSAA Spirit Advisory Committee as an ex-officio member, MSHSAA Cheer Rules Interpreter, and is also a member of USA Cheer.
term expires March 2028
Vice President
Kate Townsend
Kate Townsend is the Operations Director of STUNT the Sport for USA Cheer. She moved to Missouri in 2021 to be a full-time coach and Director of Club STUNT at Cheer Athletics St. Louis with goals of growing cheerleading and STUNT at the youth age group across the state. She spent a couple years as the Head STUNT Coach and Assistant Cheer Coach at Ursuline Academy in STL. Kate graduated from the University of Louisville, where she won 4 NCA National Championships with Louisville Small Coed and All-Girl and 2 STUNT National Championships. She was a part of the first All-Girl US National Team, winning an ICU World Championship in 2009. She also worked as a Head Instructor, choreographer, and judge for Regional and National Championships for UCA and Varsity Brands for 10+ years. She cheered in All-Star as well, winning 3 USASF World Championships with GymTyme AllStars during college. Her passion is education and creating opportunities with inclusive environments for young athletes across the country.
term expires March 2027
Secretary
Abbey Gradle
term expires March 2028
Abbey Gradle teaches photography at Marquette High School and was formally the head cheerleading coach for 13 years. Over her coaching tenure, her team won 10 consecutive STL Regional Titles,
3 State Championships in 2013, 2017, 2019, 2 Band Chant Game Day Titles, and was a Finalist in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 at the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship. Previously, Abbey served on the MSHSAA Spirit Advisory Committee as the St. Louis Cheer Representative from 2017-2021. She also currently assists MSHSAA as a Cheer Rules Interpreter and is a member of USA Cheer. Abbey has been a member of MCCA since 2009 serving as an All-State Director, At-Large Board Member (2022-2024), and Secretary (2024-present). She is looking forward to continuing her role as secretary and organizing the All-State nomination process.
Treasurer
Liz Green
term expires March 2027
Liz Green is the building principal at Woodridge Middle School in the Northwest R-1 School District. She coached cheerleading for 15 years at Northwest High School in Cedar Hill, during which time she led her team to a 2019 state championship in the Large Coed division. Liz managed a program of over 60 athletes and helped to develop a Booster Club to provide fundraising opportunities to cheerleaders. Liz has been a member of MCCA since 2014. She lives in Cedar Hill, MO with her husband and two children.
At-Large
Kelsey Mayabb
Kelsey Mayabb cheered at Oak Park High School and the University of Missouri. She coached All-Girl and Coed for 12 years at Oak Park High School with her team earing a MCCA State Title in 2023 and placing in the top 3 in Large Coed at NCA Nationals in 2023. Starting 2024, Kelsey became the head coach at Liberty North where she teaches sports marketing. During her inaugural season as an Eagle, her team earned a MCCA State Title in the Small Coed Division. Kelsey has been a member of MCCA since 2012 serving as the Media Director (2024-present). She previously served on the MSHSAA Spirit Advisory Committee as the Kansas City Cheer Representative from 2016-2020. Currently, she assists MSHSAA as a Cheer Rules Interpreter and is a member of USA Cheer. Kelsey also serves as the KC Rules Interpreter for MSHSAA and is a member of USA Cheer. Kelsey was recognized as the 2026 MCCA Coach of the Year honoring her excellence and commitment to coaching.
term expires March 2027
At-Large​
Casey Cowsert
Casey Cowsert cheered at Pacific High School and Central Methodist University. She currently teaches Family and Consumer Science at Pacific High School. As an alumni of PHS, Casey was overjoyed to take over the cheer program in 2012. Since then, the program has competed several times at NCA Nationals and recently attended UCA Nationals for the first time in program history. Before joining the MCCA Board, Casey spent several years on the MCCA Competition Committee. She has been the St. Louis Regional Director since 2022 and the Conference Director since 2023. Casey is a member of USA Cheer and previously served on the MSHSAA Spirit Advisory Committee from 2015-2019.
term expires March 2027
At-Large
Abbey Hillen
Abbey Hillen has been an active member of MCCA since 2022. She has coached cheerleading for 7 years and has previously served on the competition committee for 3 years. Abbey has experience in coaching middle and high school, all girl and coed. Abbey lives in Huntsville, MO with her husband and their dog, Millie!
term expires March 2028
Board of Directors
meet our...
appointed positions annually.
KC Regional
Competition Director
Tori Butler
Tori Butler is the Head Cheer Coach at North Kansas City High School. She began her high school cheer career at Staley High School, where she later returned as an assistant coach, helping to develop and support the program she once competed in. During her time there, she contributed to the program’s success, including a Game Day State Championship title in 2020 and a Small Coed State Championship title in 2021. Tori went on to serve as the Head Cheer and Stunt Coach at Park Hill High School, where she led the program with a focus on building a strong team culture, developing athletes, and promoting competitive success. With over 15 years of experience in cheer and dance, Tori brings a strong background in leadership, athlete development, and program growth. She is excited to take on the role as KC Regional Competition Director and continue giving back to the cheerleading community.
Scholarship Director
Rachael Larsen
Rachael Larsen has been a member of MCCA since she began coaching in 2005. She has served as the Southeast Regional Director, Member-At-Large, Secretary, and is the current Scholarship Director. As a Trustee, she continues serving MCCA in any way she can. Rachael is a member of USA Cheer. Rachael is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and cheer coach in the West Plains School District. Before relocating to West Plains, she served as the cheer coach at Perryville High School. In college, she cheered at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. She and her husband, Don, are the proud parents of Brock and Chase and their Aussie Doodle, Bo Duke.
Trustees
meet our...
Past President
Tom Reynolds (2018-2022)
Past President
Suzy Thompson (1988-2018)
Past Co-President
Nancy Allen (1988-1989)
committees
meet our...
all-state committee
Classification | Name | School | Email |
|---|---|---|---|
All-State Director | Abbey Gradle | MCCA Board | allstate@missouricheercoaches.org |
1A | Lynn Cantrell | Hartville | lynn.cantrell@hartville.k12.mo.us |
1A | Corrie McNeely | Oak Ridge | cmcneely@oakridge.k12.mo.us |
1A | Brittany Butler | Not Coaching - Slater | bjb2254@moval.edu |
2A | Krista Morgan | Centralia | krista.morgan@cr6.org |
3A | Brea Ellis | Odessa | bellis@odessar7.net |
3A | Kirsten Beer | St. Charles West | kbeer@stcharlessd.org |
4A | Sharron Phipps | De Soto | phipps.sharron@desoto.k12.mo.us |
4A | Morgan Brewer | Farmington | mbrewer@farmington.k12.mo.us |
4A | Alli Watson | Ft. Zumwalt South | awatson@fz.k12.mo.us |
4A | Tiffany Cox | Not Coaching - Smithville | coxt@smithville.k12.mo.us |
4A | Sarah Otto | Not Coaching - Union | ottos@unionrxi.org |
competition committee
Classification | Name | School | Email |
|---|---|---|---|
Competition Director | Jenn Newman | MCCA Board | competition@missouricheercoaches.org |
STL Regional Director | Casey Cowsert | MCCA Board | stlregional@missouricheercoaches.org |
KC Regional Director | Tori Butler | MCCA Board | kcregional@missouricheercoaches.org |
1A | Kristie Yarbro | Chaffee | kristie.yarbro@chaffeer2.org |
1A | Christina Cline | Orrick | ccline@orrick.k12.mo.us |
1A | Lisa Stobbe | Putnam County | lstobbe@putnamcountyr1.net |
2A | Rebekah Kropf | Centralia | rebekah.kropf@cr6.org |
2A | Adeline Chance | Lathrop | adeline.chance@lathropschools.com |
3A/JH | Delisa Jeffries | Hallsville Middle | DJeffrie@hallsville.org |
3A/JH | Amanda Frech | Hallsville Middle | amanda_gerling@yahoo.com |
3A | LaVonda Felton | Jennings | feltonl@jenningsk12.us |
4A | Maxine Sommerer | Belton | maxine.sommerer@yahoo.com |
education committee
Classification | Name | School | Email |
|---|---|---|---|
Education Director | Kate Townsend | MCCA Board | education@missouricheercoaches.org |
1A/JH | Britney Thomas | Dadeville Middle | britney.thomas624@gmail.com |
1A | Heather Newman | Putnam County | hnewman@putnamcountyr1.net |
1A/JH | Robyn Maag-Blanding | Westran Middle | rmaag@westran.k12.mo.us |
2A/JH | Cara Wyse | John Boise Middle | carawyse44@gmail.com |
3A | LaVonda Felton | Jennings | feltonl@jenningsk12.us |
3A/JH | Heather Blanks | John Evans Middle | hblanks@potosir3.org |
3A | Heather Day | MICDS | hday@micds.org |
4A | Tia Cunningham | Farmington | tlcunningham@farmington.k12.mo.us |
4A | Hannah Shaver | McDonald County | hannah.shaver@mcdonaldr1.net |
5A | Diane Weber | Neosho | nsd-cheer@neoshosd.org |
6A | Samantha Kuykendall | Blue Springs | skuykendall@bssd.net |
media committee
Classification | Name | School | Email Address |
|---|---|---|---|
Media Director | Kelsey Mayabb | MCCA Board | media@missouricheercoaches.org |
2A/JH | Cara Wyse | John Boise Middle | carawyse44@gmail.com |
5A | Ryan Campbell | Glendale | rmcampbell@spsmail.org |
6A | Tyler Haney | Liberty North | tyler.haney@lps53.org |
scholarship committee
Classification | Name | School | Email |
|---|---|---|---|
Scholarship Director | Rachael Larsen | MCCA Board | scholarship@missouricheercoaches.org |
1A | Shelby Crowe | Chaffee | shelby.crowe@chaffeer2.org |
1A | MaryAnn Potter | Hartville | potterm@hartville.k12.mo.us |
1A | Renae Bridges | Sweet Springs | rbridges@sweetsprings.k12.mo.us |
2A | Rebekah Kropf | Centralia | rebekah.kropf@cr6.org |
3A | Steph Bekebrede | Reeds Spring | sbekebrede@wolves.k12.mo.us |
3A | Lindsay Morris | Southern Boone | lmorris@sbschools.us |
4A | Bailey Shearrer | De Soto | baileylshearrer@gmail.com |
4A | Emily White | Sikeston | ewhite@spsr6.org |
5A | Jessica Bolzenius | Eureka | bolzeniusjessica@rsdmo.org |
6A | Cristin Allen | Liberty North | khayes@cpsk12.org |
6A | Kristine Hayes | Rock Bridge | stacire@gmail.com |
6A | Staci Hites | Staley | cristin.allen@lps53.org |