MORROW -- The LMHS cheerleading spirit squads are the heart PantherNation, and lead the charge when it comes to supporting fellow student-athletes on the Little Miami football and basketball teams. They also keep Panther fans engaged and excited during our games, while also spending countless hours preparing for their competitive invitationals during the winter season.
Since the winter season ended last school year, Little Miami administration has dedicated countless hours to reestablishing this spirited group and is proud to announce new leadership to guide the program during the 2023-24 school year.
A newcomer to The District last school year and no stranger to high-level cheerleading, Christina McCluer has been elevated this summer to lead both the varsity football and basketball sideline units this upcoming school year. A current Morrow resident and a 2009 graduate of Mason High School, McCluer brings an extensive professional and spirit resume to the Panthers. An active cheerleading student-athlete for the Comets growing up, you could find her on the sideline of Mason's Dwire Field supporting the football team for nearly a decade (2000-09), and she was no stranger to the MHS Arena hardwood either as she was a member of the Comets basketball sideline unit from 2000-08. Additionally, Coach McCluer was a member of the Cincinnati Flames competitive club cheer team from 2003-05 and then Mason High Schools' competitive cheer team from 2005-09. And lastly, she spent three seasons on Mason's competitive dance/hip-hop team from 2007-09.
Following her prep career, Coach McCluer was a gymnastics instructor at the Mason Community Center teaching aspiring Comet youth the art of tumbling, the balance beam and bar, and vaulting. Additionally, she was an assistant coach for Mason Youth Cheer and the Cincinnati Flames from 2005-09. The wife within a proud military family, relocation led to a brief time away from the sport she loved. And in 2020-21, she got back into coaching with Columbus Grove Youth Cheer while her family resided there, and upon relocation back to the Great Cincinnati Area, she immediately got involved with Little Miami Schools.
"Coach McCluer is a great communicator and organizer," said Little Miami AD Matt Louis. "You pair those character traits with her cheer background and education, and we're certain we've found the right leader for our spirit programs."
A familiar face returning to the staff this school year is LMHS Panther alumni Alexis "Lexi" Dowers. Climbing from the first-year student (freshman) coaching ranks, Dowers will be tasked to lead the junior varsity sideline units in both the fall and winter seasons, and will also assume co-head coaching duties for the varsity competition cheer team.
Although 2022-23 was only her first season on the LMHS coaching staff, Lexie is certainly no stranger to Little Miami cheerleading! She started cheering for Little Miami as a kindergartner and remained with the LMHS spirit squads until she graduated from the Warren County high school. Currently, she is a student at the University of Cincinnati and getting ready to obtain her second degree shortly. From there, Coach Dowers will begin preparing for Law School and a career as a lawyer.
"Some of my favorite memories as a Panther include cheering traditions that continue here at Little Miami today, and I am so excited to continue passing those great experiences on to our current athletes as a coach!" said Coach Dowers.
This fall, the Athletic Department is proud to also welcome Little Miami teacher and former Lakota Schools cheerleader Kelly Cathcart to the Panthers coaching staff. Coach Cathcart is currently a 5th-grade intervention specialist at Little Miami Elementary School where she has been employed for six years. She is a graduate of Mount St. Joesph University in Cincinnati and is currently pursuing a graduate degree from Miami University in Oxford. In high school, Coach Cathcart cheered both sideline and on the competition squad for eight years. She and her husband Kris reside in Mason and have two young sons.
This year, Coach Cathcart will lead the freshman sideline units for both football and basketball and will also share co-head coaching duties of the Little Miami competition cheer team with Coach Dowers.
Little Miami cheerleading has already been hard at work though out the summer preparing for the 2023-24 school year and will travel to Miami University from August 1-4 for a UCA developmental overnight team camp. Future organizational and practice information will be issued to families via the coaching staff! Rising LMHS cheerleading seniors include Addyson Ballinger, Ristin Bendure, Trista Browning, Abbey Craig, Christina Glaser, Kyleigh Keffer, Emma Loux, Erin Mahoney, and Kylee Thompson.
