My Coach, My Mentor, My Friend

by Meredith

Last week, just before the Christmas Holiday, I received a cryptic early morning voicemail message from a former team mate of mine on the Chapel Hill High School Cheerleading squad. Then a call came to my cell phone from a friend and former high school teacher. I hesitantly answered the phone, sensing something was not right. The solemn voice on the other end told me that my high school cheerleading coach, Alycia Long Allen, had passed away the night before. To say the news knocked the wind out of me doesn’t do it justice. An intense wave of loss, sadness and grief suffocated me.

Ms. Allen didn’t coach your stereotypical cheerleading squad. From 1985-1999, Alycia Long Allen led the CHHS Varsity Cheerleading squad to six state championships, a third place Can-Am Nationals cheerleading finish and a Can-Am Nationals Dance Championship. The girls she coached are now doctors, lawyers, vice presidents of companies, mothers, entrepreneurs…..we are everything and anything we wanted to be. Outside my mom and dad, I owe a lot of the person I am today to Ms. Allen. She helped develop my work ethic, my strength and my drive to be the best. She truly cared about us and wanted to see us succeed not only in school and in competitions, but in life.

More important than winning, Ms. Allen taught us to be respectful, classy and to always show integrity and good sportsmanship towards others. She demanded we represent ourselves and our school in the best light. In 1995 we won the NC State 4-A Cheerleading Championship and the Sportsmanship Award. The Sportsmanship Award which was voted on by all of the other squads in our division from across the state, all of our competitors. Don’t get me wrong, winning the State Championship was amazing, but I think Ms. Allen was more proud of the fact that we won the Sportsmanship Award and what that represented about the team she was coaching.

Ms. A was not only an amazing coach, but an amazing ceramics and dance teacher as well. Students and teachers alike gravitated towards her warm personality, sassy attitude and magnetic smile. She positively affected each and every person she came into contact with.

In 1999, Ms. Allen moved back to the state of Washington, her home, to work at Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart . The last time I saw her was two years ago when she was inducted into the Chapel Hill High School Hall of Fame. If I had known then that it would be the last time I would see her, I think I would have done things differently. I would have hugged her a little longer and told her exactly how much I appreciated her and how much of a positive difference she made in my life and the lives of so many others.

In honor of Ms. Allen- Tell those you love, that you love them. Tell those that inspire, they inspire you. Tell those that have made a difference in your life, thank you.

Ms. A, your love and lessons live on in all of us. You will be missed always.

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