Another KHS Success Story in the Midst of COVID Chaos

First in Class 4A state would have been nice, but given everything the Kingfisher High School cheer squad went through to even get to Saturday’s competition, third place is still pretty sweet.

“We’re definitely proud of how far we’ve come since June,” cheer coach Carma Reagan said.

The squad finished behind Crossings Christian and Blanchard in a field of 10 4A teams, the largest group at the contest.

KHS finished just seven points behind Blanchard.

“We were supposed to compete at regionals and then state at the end of September and beginning of October.

“They moved the date three different times, from late November to December to first of January to the end of January “

Finally, regional competition was just canceled, so Kingfisher and other squads missed the opportunity to perform in front of a crowd prior to state to “work the jitters out,” Reagan said.

“Every team at that point who had signed up to compete at regionals and were healthy advanced to state.

“Last year (2020) was a year of turmoil.”

Reagan shares coaching duties with Lori Burns, who coaches tumbling.

The coaches have a shared history from the early 2000s, when Burns was KHS head coach and Reagan had the same job at Deer Creek.

“She’s been so great to work with,” Reagan said of Burns. “We’re thankful to have Lori with her knowledge of tumbling background.”

The KHS squad has had its share of COVID exposures, but was fortunate in that those happened early in the season and the entire squad was never in quarantine at the same time.

“That made us work together as a team,” Reagan said. “People filled in for those who were missing and we just kept practicing.”

Kingfisher and every other team except Crossings Christian had a dropped stunt during their state routines, but Reagan said her squad handled the mistake with poise.

“Stuff like that happens and it’s how you recover and how you finish,” she said. “They finished beautifully.”

Reagan said she’s proud of the foundation her girls have built this season and said the squad is already looking ahead to next year.

“I told the girls, ‘look, what you guys put in since last June is now a foundation for the next one;” she said.

“The younger girls are going to see what the high school girls have done and how hard they worked.

“Good teams don’t stop and take off until August. We have to keep working and gaining skills.”

Reagan said her squad is taking a week off to savor their success and then “getting right back at it.”

“The football team didn’t build its program by taking summers off and we’re not doing that either.

“These girls did a good job earning themselves some respect and letting people see what they can do.

“We’re proud of them as coaches and hope the community is too.”