ROCKLIN, Calif. — Jessup Athletics continues to grow as the department announces its latest addition of sideline cheer. Looking to make an immediate impact, the Warriors have added experienced coach James Blunk as the man tasked with leading the university's newest program.
"The hiring of James Blunk as the head coach for our sideline cheer program is a home run," said athletic director Lance Von Vogt. "He has a wealth of experience at Sacramento State, at UCA, high school levels. He's a staple in Northern California for cheer. He's going to allow us to bring in the best athletes that are going to be able to represent us well."
"We are excited to get the program going so we can support the University's athletic programs and engage with the community," says Blunk. "We hope to amplify an already great atmosphere on campus."
The new sideline cheer program will add a new element to the game-day experience at Jessup.
"As we continue to grow here at Jessup, sideline cheer just makes too much sense for us not to push forward and launch this program," added Von Vogt. "It is a Northern California staple at the high school level. There are some amazing athletes who want to continue their cheer career, and we have some of the best athletic, small college athletic sports teams at Jessup that we would like to level up on our game day experience that the fans get to enjoy, and that the athletes get to play in front of. Sideline cheer is gonna give us that opportunity to level up."
Blunk will work alongside his wife, national champion STUNT coach Alexis Welch, who takes on the role of Director of Cheer and STUNT. The two hope to emulate the immediate success of the STUNT program to the sideline cheer squad.
"We are so excited to bring Cheerleading to William Jessup University and provide another amazing opportunity for female athletes to participate in the sport they love at the collegiate level and receive an athletic scholarship," says Welch. "The main purpose of the cheerleading team will be to support many of the athletic programs at Jessup. We are thrilled to be at basketball games year-round, as well as many other sporting events cheering on our Warriors!"
The addition of cheer will not only add a new aspect to the experience fans have grown to know and love inside Warrior Arena, but it will create an additional outlet for Jessup Athletics to showcase its brand at other events held around campus or the community at large.
Welch spoke about the impact of cheer, adding, "The cheerleading team will also be the face of Jessup at many community events, campus events, and fundraisers. We can't wait to see this team engage with our fans and really show them what being a part of the Warrior family is all about!"
Blunk is already hard at work looking to find the first recruiting class for the sideline cheer program. Interested recruits can get in touch with the program by emailing
jblunk@jessup.edu. You can also follow @Jessup_Cheer on Instagram.
Von Vogt concluded with, "We're excited about bringing in these new athletes, and creating an opportunity for them to outreach to our community, while also doing some inreach here at Jessup during the competitions that we already compete in."
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William Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on William Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: William Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
