After Oxford High School has gone through several cheer coaches in the last few years, Coach Amelie Goss has taken on the new role as head coach of the OHS cheerleading team. Since Goss has stepped into this role, the team is headed towards what is expected to be a successful 2024-2025 season.
Goss started her coaching career out of college, coaching for a PeeWee cheer team at an elementary school and at a local All Star Cheer Gym in the Miss. Delta. She then started coaching at a high school level at NorthWest Rankin High School. Since she was presented with a head coaching job at OHS, Goss has been determined to give the team an opportunity to showcase their abilities at the level that they deserve to be at this season.
“I am in disbelief that I am here in this position,” Goss said. “I feel extremely blessed to be here and blessed to be able to coach such a talented group of girls. This has been such a rewarding experience so far and I am so excited to see what this season holds.”
Goss cheered for Hinds Community College and Delta State University in college and each team gave her the experience that led her to where she is today. Goss still looks up to the coaches that she cheered for and hopes to be the same sort of role model to the girls of the OHS cheer team.
“My favorite part about coaching is the relationships I get to build with the girls,”Goss said. “Looking back on the relationships I had with my former coaches, they really made an impact on me at a time where I was not sure who I was or what I wanted to do and it is an honor for me to get to do the same thing.”
Goss has not only made a big impact on the girls, but also on assistant coach Lauren Markle. Markle looks up to Goss’s drive and perseverance to do whatever she needs to be done in order to be there for the girls.
“Becoming the head coach of any team is a challenge, but becoming a head coach in a completely new school district to you is even more of a challenge,” Markle said. “Not only did Coach Goss move to Oxford School District, but she is now a head coach and a high school teacher. Those are some difficult obstacles to hurdle.”
Goss’s goal-oriented mindset helps the team remember that it takes determination to meet every challenge they face. Both coaches believe that there are many tools that help make a team successful.
“Coach Goss takes each of the girls’ different talents and strengths and uses those in different areas of a routine to help meet our end goal,” Markle said.
Both Goss and Markle hold high standards for the team this year. They want to help the girls hold themselves accountable, making them not only better teammates, but also better people outside of cheerleading. Improving the team’s mindset this year and never letting them forget their reason for being on the team is important to them.
“We want the girls to be able to always remember their personal drive that makes them want to be an OHS cheerleader,” Markle said. “When practices get hard or difficulties arise, we want the girls to have the mental and physical toughness to push that aside and continue to give 110% of their effort to the sport that makes them happy.”
Team captain Maci Helsel admires how quickly Coach Goss adapted to the team as soon as she started practicing with them. She also likes how Goss motivates every girl on the team.
“The qualities I look for in a coach are being patient with each athlete and wanting what is best for the team,” Helsel said. “Coach Goss knows exactly what everyone is capable of and how to push each athlete to do their best.”
One of the team’s main goals this season is to leave every performance feeling accomplished, whether it is on the sidelines, or competing at a competition. It is important to Helsel to make both coaches proud since they put so much time into the team’s potential.
“The ‘24-’25 team wants to walk out of every performance feeling proud and motivated,” Helsel said. “We also want to strive to make everything a fun experience for our coaches, making them excited for more seasons as a Charger.”
