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THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PROGRAM
MEET THE TEAM
DEDICATED STAFF. DIFFERENT STRENGTHS. ONE TEAM.

COACH KENA
GYM OWNER
& DIAMONDS HEAD COACH
"My name is Makena, but in the gym I go by 'Coach Kena'! I am a proud mom of 4 (3 boys and 1 sassy little lady), and owner of Thurston Cheer Athletics. My love of cheerleading quickly grew to a passion of helping kids find and grow their love of cheerleading. With years of experience I find myself still learning and growing to ensure I am teaching the best, safest and most effective methods of the sport. I enjoy meeting new families and watching our teams HIT a stellar performance!"

COACH
CIARA
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
"My name is Ciara! I was a competitive cheerleader for 4 years but truly found my passion in coaching the sport. I have coached all age groups that TCA offers, from Tinies to Seniors. Outside of cheer, I am a student studying Dental Hygiene, am engaged to my high school sweetheart and have two dogs, Blue and Buddy, who are my favorite things. My life is so much better with cheer in it, and everyone who knows me knows how much love I have for coaching."
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COACH
LILY
NOVICE & RUBIES COACH
"My name is Lily Polk, and I just graduated from Clackamas High School. I did competitive cheer for 6 years and dance for 1 year. I recently moved to Eugene for school to pursue childhood education. I love working with kids, and I'm so happy to be back in cheer! I'm so excited to see how this season plays out!"
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COACH
HANAH
ONYX CO-HEAD COACH
"My name is Coach Hanah! I have spent most of my life in Oregon and was in dance and cheer for several years. After a brief hiatus from the sport, I decided to become a coach. This is going to be my third year as a coach at TCA and I have absolutely fallen in love with this sport again. I work hard to be present at every practice and performance and strive to create a comforting inclusive environment for everyone and I love seeing my athletes excel outside of cheer. I work full time, am recently married and have 4 cats. Some of my hobbies include caring for all of my houseplants, traveling, and going to concerts.
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COACH
DANI
RUBIES & PLATINUM HEAD COACH
"My journey started when my daughter joined the mini competition team, where I stepped in as a team mom and assistant coach, and from the moment, I was hooked. I have two daughters, ages 3 and 8, who inspire my passion for working with young athletes every single day. Outside of cheer, I work as an Administrative Assistant III for a local utility company and also run my own photography business. Coaching has truly become such a big part of my life and I love helping kids grow in confidence, skill, and teamwork both on and off the mat. I maintain an open line of communication with both athletes and parents, and I strongly believe that parent involvement plays an important role in each athlete's success and overall team experience. I bring high energy, passion, and positivity to every practice, and I strive to create an environment where athletes feel supported, challenged and excited to be their best!"

MISS BONNIE
FRONT OFFICE CLERK
"I'm Bonnie, and I work the Front Desk here at Thurston Cheer Athletics. I help keep things running smoothly at the front desk and run our Pro Shop, designing and creating new apparel, accessories, and spirit wear to our TCA families."

COACH
SAM
ONYX CO-HEAD COACH
"Hi, I'm Coach Sam! I cheered for 17 years in both All-Star and high school cheer and have had the opportunity to coach All-Star, recreational, high school, and special needs cheerleading programs. This is my 10th year coaching and my second year with TCA, and i truly love helping athletes grow both on and off the mat. When I'm not coaching, you'll usually find me at the park or crafting at home with my two littles, Salem and Grayson. With 23 years of experience in the cheer world as both an athlete and coach, cheerleading has been a huge part of my life and something I am incredibly passionate about. I can't wait to share that passion with your kiddo and help create the same sense of teamwork, confidence and lasting memories that made cheer such a meaningful part of my own journey!
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COACH
BRITTANY
GEMS HEAD
COACH
"I'm a proud mom of four, always on the go and loving every minute of it. My oldest daughter cheers on the Platinum competition team, which is what brought me back into the cheer world, starting as a team mom and now stepping into a coaching role. I cheered in high school, so getting back into it has been so exciting and a little full-circle moment for me. Outside of cheer, I work as a medical assistant in orthopedic and sports medicine."
LOOKING TO JOIN OUR TEAM?
EMAIL TCAGYMOWNER@GMAIL.COM THE POSITION YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AND YOUR RESUME!
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