Devotion and an unspoken obligation to her community prompted Lysa Laverdiere to apply for the Lewiston High School cheerleading coaching job when Lynnette Morency stepped down.
Laverdiere also understood the pressure and stress that go with a program that has enjoyed enormous success and built a statewide reputation on dazzling routines.
But it didn’t hurt that she is a familiar face who knows the ropes. The Lewiston High teacher, who was the cheerleading coach at Lewiston Middle School, also helped out with the varsity cheerleading squad for the past three years. So the transition for Laverdiere has been a smooth one thus far.
“I took this because I felt like I owed it to the city and I owed it to my athletes and all my middle schoolers who have gone through the high school and are here now,” Laverdiere said. “I felt it was kind of time for me to step and take over, and I just wanted to continue the legacy and I knew that I had the ability to do that. That’s why I stepped up and took the job.”
Don’t think for a minute that all eyes are not upon the first-year coach and the cheering program that has known unprecedented prosperity and enjoyed a past season where the Blue Devils were the 2015 Class A State champions, regional champions, KVAC champions, and the New England runners-up.
“I do think there’s a lot of pressure, but I think that’s something that I have learned to thrive on,” Laverdiere, who was also a cheerleader at LHS, said. “Obviously the pressure is to continue the greatness that Lewiston High School cheerleading is. I think I am more than ready to take on the challenge and live up to that pressure.
“I think there’s a lot of aspects that Lynnette had in her coaching that were very successful, so I want to continue the tradition that we have been doing, even even before Lynnette was around when I was in high school.
“But one thing I really want to focus on with the girls this year is not only being successful and winning, but also having a lot of fun while doing it.”
The cheerleaders have also embraced the new coach and the challenges that lie ahead for the Blue Devils.
“Honestly, the past is the past, and we have a new coach right now — so far so good. I am really excited for the season,” senior Sierra Melanson said. “I think that we are going to continue this transition between coaches and we still remain the same Lewiston cheer program.
“Despite the changes, and everything that happened, we have to come together as a team, and I think we have done a really good job doing that.
“I think a new face and a new personality and just new in general and new program is good She brings a lot of new energy to program.”
For senior Taylor Hopkins, change is also a good thing for the program.
“I am ready for a whole new environment. I think it is going to be better,” Hopkins said. “Practices are more positive, and me being a senior, I haven’t had Lysa as a coach yet, but everyone underneath me has, so I feel like they are ready, but so are we.
“She’s (Lysa) tough, but she’s nice about it. She pushes us to our limit. I believe in Lysa. She knows what she is doing. She has a lot of smarts in cheering. Yes, I loved having coach Lynnette as a coach, but I want to show everyone that we can do it without her.”
Laverdiere certainly hopes her Blue Devils win another state title, but she wants one other thing out of this season.
“I want to win and I want to be successful, but mostly I just want to be respected,” the undaunted first-year coach said. “These are big shoes to fill, and I know I have the ability to do it, but I want people to respect me as a coach and respect my team and what I put out there this year.
“They are ready; they are fired up. They are excited for this year. They are expecting great things so I think with their drive and me pushing them, I think we are going do amazing this year.
“I think a lot of people are really anxious to see what is going to happen. I am really excited to show Lewiston cheering is alive and well and can’t wait to put our new routine on the floor in January.”
Who to watch in high school sports this season:
Cheering:
- Buckfield cheerleading
- Dirigo cheerleading
- Edward Little cheerleading
- Gray-New Gloucester cheerleading
- Leavitt cheerleading
- Lewiston cheerleading
- Lisbon cheerleading
- Monmouth cheerleading
- Mountain Valley cheerleading
- Mt. Blue cheerleading
- Oak Hill cheerleading
- Oxford Hills cheerleading
- Poland cheerleading
- Rangeley cheerleading
- Spruce Mountain cheerleading
- St. Dom’s cheerleading
Nordic Skiing: Ashley Pratt, Emily Thibodeau look to lead Leavitt
- Dirigo nordic skiing
- Edward Little nordic skiing
- Gray-New Gloucester nordic skiing
- Leavitt nordic skiing
- Maranacook nordic skiing
- Monmouth nordic skiing
- Dirigo nordic skiing
- Edward Little nordic skiing
- Gray-New Gloucester nordic skiing
- Leavitt nordic skiing
- Maranacook nordic skiing
- Monmouth nordic skiing
Alpine Skiing: Mountain Valley Falcons ready to soar in Class B
Boys’ Basketball: James Ouellette of Spruce Mountain pushes through injury, tragedy
- Class AA Boys’ Basketball: Oxford Hills, Fleming among favorites in loaded league
- Class A Boys’ Basketball: New table no picnic for Mt. Blue, Leavitt
- Class B boys’ basketball: KVAC, WMC set to square off before February
- Class C boys’ basketball: Dirigo poised for another run
- Class D South boys’ basketball: Rangeley rallying after unexpected losses
- Buckfield boys’ basketball
- Dirigo boys’ basketball
- Edward Little boys’ basketball
- Gray-New Gloucester boys’ basketball
- Leavitt boys’ basketball
- Lewiston boys’ basketball
- Lisbon boys’ basketball
- Monmouth boys’ basketball
- Mt. Abram boys’ basketball
- Mountain Valley boys’ basketball
- Oak Hills boys’ basketball
- Oxford Hills boys’ basketball
- Mt. Blue boys’ basketball
- Poland boys’ basketball
- Rangeley boys’ basketball
- St. Dominick’s boys’ basketball
- Spruce Mountain boys’ basketball
- Telstar boys’ basketball
- Winthrop boys’ basketball
Girls’ Basketball: Winthrop returns to varsity schedule
- Class AA North girls’ basketball preview
- Class A North/South Preview
- Class C South girls’ basketball preview
- Class D South girls’ basketball preview
- Buckfield girls’ basketball
- Dirigo girls’ basketball
- Edward Little girls’ basketball
- Gray-New Gloucester girls’ basketball
- Leavitt girls’ basketball
- Lewiston girls’ basketball
- Lisbon girls’ basketball
- Mt. Abram girls’ basketball
- Mt. Blue girls’ basketball
- Monmouth girls’ basketball
- Mountain Valley girls’ basketball
- Oak Hill girls’ basketball
- Oxford Hills girls’ basketball
- Poland girls’ basketball
- Rangeley girls’ basketball
- St. Dominick’s girls’ basketball
- Spruce Mountain girls’ basketball
- Telstar girls’ basketball
- Winthrop girls’ basketball
Boy’s Hockey: Edward Little looking to make a name for itself
- Cony/Hall-Dale/Monmouth Rams
- Edward Little boys’ hockey
- Fryeburg/ Lake Region/ Oxford Hills boys’ hockey
- Gray-New Gloucester/ Poland boys’ hockey
- Leavitt boys’ hockey
- Lewiston boys’ hockey
- Mt. Ararat boys’ hockey
- St. Dominick’s boys’ hockey
- Winthrop/Maranacook boys’ hockey
Swimming: Lewiston’s Matt Charest gets a lift
Indoor Track: Soracco’s back in track for Lewiston High School
- Edward Little indoor track
- Gray-New Gloucester indoor track
- Lewiston indoor track
- Poland indoor track
- St. Dominick’s indoor track
Wrestling: Dirigo aims to be class act, again
- Dirigo wrestling
- Lisbon wrestling
- Monmouth wrestling
- Mt. Blue wrestling
- Mountain Valley wrestling
- Oak Hill wrestling
- Oxford Hills wrestling
Girls’ Hockey: Lewiston sets out on a different path
- Edward Little/Leavitt/Poland girls’ hockey
- Lewiston/Monmouth/Oak Hill girls’ hockey
- St. Dom’s girls’ hockey
- Yarmouth/Freeport/Gray-NG girls’ hockey
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