Power Cheer Toronto

Natalie Vonlanthen
Director
Team Coach of Junior Super Novas, Senior Odyssey and International Solstice

I have been coaching at PCT for 8 years. I have been coaching cheerleading for a total of 27 years. I've actually lost count on the number of division wins, Provincial and National titles I've been a part of, but I know its well into the hundreds. I consider my greatest coaching accomplishments to be the life-long relationships I've made with many of the athletes I had the pleasure to work with. Being invited to their university graduations or to their weddings are confirmation of PCT's primary philosophy of "family". Knowing that, in my own way, I have positively influenced the life of a young person is the greatest accomplishment I can ever think of. As an athlete I cheered for Port Credit Secondary School, Mississauga and later at the University of Western Ontario. I am married with two wonderful teenage children, and two naughty dogs.

I don't like coaching at PCT, I LOVE it. PCT is blessed to have the very best coaches working at it, and I learn something new from one of my co-workers every single time I am in the gym. PCT also attracts athletes and families that have a real passion for cheerleading - they want to be great, and are willing to put in the hard work to get there. That kind of environment is electric - collaborative and hard-working, you can't ask for anything more.

"Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things." - Joe Paterno
 

Nicole Myers-Pugh
Director
Team Coach of Youth Solar Flares, Senior Cosmos, Senior Odyssey and Open Zodiac
Tumbling Class and Private Lesson Instructor

I have been coaching at PCT for 8 years. Before PCT, I coached for White Oaks Wildcats, PCG Vipers and AB Lucas Secondary School. I have been coaching cheerleading and gymnastics for 15 years. Throughout the years, there have been many titles and accomplishments, but my proudest moments are those that don't come with a shiny trophy. Most important to me is watching my athletes grow from Mini and Youth athletes to amazing Junior and Senior athletes who truly love the sport of cheerleading. It makes me so proud to see them doing something they love and are passionate about. They are making memories and friends they will never forget and learning important life lessons along the way. As an athlete, I started gymnastics when I was 3 and spent my last years at the National level. After gymnastics, I cheered for 2 years at Silverthorn Collegiate and immediately feel in love with cheerleading. I cheered for 4 years at the University of Western Ontario and continued to cheer for 5 years on the PCT Open Teams. I am married to Cj Pugh and we have a son and dog named Bella. I love to run and continue to find new things to challenge myself when it comes to fitness.

I truly believe that PCT has the best coaching staff in the country. This group of dedicated coaches know what it takes to be a champion. They love their job and their athletes. I am very fortunate to work alongside these amazing people whom I call family.

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do" - Pele

Cj Pugh
Director
Team Coach of Senior Odyssey, Senior Comets, International Solstice and Open Stratosphere
Tumbling Class and Private Lesson Instructor

As one of the founding partners of our gym, I have been involved with coaching at PCT from the very beginning. Prior to opening our doors, I was involved with cheerleading in a number of ways. I began my cheerleading journey as a member of the UWO mustangs where I was lucky enough to win 4 Canadian National titles as well as a number of US competitions. During my time at UWO and before opening the doors to PCT, I also coached in both the high school and All-Star world. If I had to put my finger on one of the accomplishments I have had as a coach, it would have to by winning COA Ultimate Nationals with our Youth Level 2 team. This event stands out in my mind because it was the first time we had actually won a major US National event. In close second would be coming in 18th place with our Small Senior Level 5 team at Jamfest Super Nationals. That event was the most competitive division I have ever coached in and I was very proud of our team for stepping up to the line.

I stongly feel that the PCT offers a safe, supportive, and caring environment where each athlete can become the very best they can be. I think our coaches and staff are deeply invested in the success of each and every kid. It is because of this that we are successful!

"Saying over and over to yourself you're a winner is splashing water into the face of a thirsty man but not letting him drink any. Saying over and over to yourself exactly why you will win is drinking from the never ending fountain of success." -- Josh Bunch

Scott Marascio
Director of Tumbling
Team Coach of Junior Super Novas
Tumbling Classes and Private Lessons Instructor

I have been coaching with PCT for 4 seasons. My biggest accomplishment as a coach has to be that every one of my athletes rings the bell. I believe in fundmentals and hard work. After that success and progression will come.

As an athlete I was the 2007 PCA Natioanls Tumbling Champion. I have been to the IASF World Championships with a 5th place finish as our best showing. I was also a member of Team Canada in 2010, winning Gold at the ICU World Championships. Before cheerleading, I was a nationally ranked gymnast with numerous Provincial titles. Outside the PCT I am currently working as an RMT at Natura Wellness Clinic in Mississauga.

My personal goals for my athletes and PCT are one in the same; I want to have the best tumbling in Canada gym wide. I want each athlete on my team to learn at least 1 new skill this season and I'm looking forward to being a part of one of the best junior teams in the country.

PCT is my home away from home. Working with Cobras athletes and staff is the best job I could ask for. I always have fun and I enjoy watching athletes get new skills and accomplishing their goals.

"Your life is an occasion. Rise to it". - Mr. Magorium
 

Chris Cunningham
Team Coach of Senior Cosmos, Senior Cosmic Rays and Senior Odyssey

Jon Cameron
Team Coach of Youth Sun Beams, Senior Comets and Senior Cosmos
Tumbling Classes and Private Lessons Instructor

I have been coaching at PCT for 5 seasons. This season I will be coaching Youth Cotton Candy and Senior Wild Blackberry. Some of my coaching accomplishments include 7th place at IASF World Championships with International Open 6 Smoke in the 2010-2011 season. I also coached Youth Periwinkle to a National Championship and Junior Aqua to a strong 2nd place finish at the Cheer Evolution Nationals in Niagara Falls. When I am not at the PCT, I am coaching my former Alma Mater, the Laurier Golden Hawks. Some of our titles include PCA National Champions in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and this past season at the Jamfest Super National Championships.I started my cheerleading career as an athlete in High School at Mount Carmel Secondary School from 2000-2003. I then attended Wilfred Laurier University and cheered there from 2003-2007 and was captain in my last year. I joined PCT as an athlete first in 2007 and have cheered every season since. For the 2011-2012 season I will be cheering on Open Coed 6 Island Punch. I also represented Team Canada and I am a 3-time Gold Medalist at the ICU World Championships.

I love coaching at PCT because I believe in the methodology and direction of the gym. We take in athletes and help fundamentally shape who they are as both athletes and people in the real world. I also enjoy the high level of training, discipline and experience of my fellow coaches, and knowing that I can rely on them for anything, from choreography ideas to personal support. That is what family is about!

“I’ve missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot … and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan

Lindsay Piitz
Team Coach of Open Zodiac
Dance Choreography

I have been coaching at PCT for 8 years. Over the years I have coached various age groups. Some accomplishments include 7th place finish for International Open 6 Smoke at IASF World Championships and 2nd place Nations Cup. Received a "Most Entertaining" award for Youth Advanced at JamFest 2007 and 2008. Various dance and choreography awards from Jamfest and Cheer Alliance. I also coached St. Thomas Aquinas in Brampton. Between 1999-2007 we won various Provincial and National Championships. As an athlete I cheered in high school at St. Thomas Aquinas for 4 years. After high school I cheered for York Univeristy from 1999-2001. In 2001 I was team captain. I then cheered on the open team at PCT from 2005-2007. Outside the PCT, my husband and I live in Oakville with our darling daughter. I work full time in Human Resources for Interac Association.

I love coaching at PCT because of the amazing coaches who continually support one another. The athletes are not only hard working but an absolute pleasure to be with week in and week out. An environment that is warm and welcoming makes my job easy!

"You are the only one of you......so why on earth would you want to look like anybody else, dress like anyone else, dance like anyone else, be someone else, when you are a legend in your own right?” - Mia Michaels

Joe DeGuzman
Team Coach of Youth Solar Flares and Senior Eclipse
Tumbling Class Instructor

This is my second year coaching with PCT. I have coached with Father John Redmond CSS Redhawks with 3 top 3 finishes in Coed Intermediate, and 2 Championships with All girl Novice. I have been cheerleading for 8 years, starting my career with the York University Lions, then expanding to all-star cheer with UCCD in Pickering, then moving over to PCT for the past 4 seasons. Biggest accomplishments include; Team Canada '09 - ICU World Champion, PCT Open Coed 5 and 6 - 3-time PCA National Champion
and Captain of York University Varsity Cheer team. Outside the PCT I can be found hanging out with my dog K-ci. I love being active and not only trying new things, but teaching new things

I know I am going to enjoy coaching with PCT because the energy is always positive, the goal is always success, and the support from the other coaches, the athletes, and the parents is always warm and welcoming like a team and a family should be.

"Luck is what you have left over after you give 100 percent" - Langston Coleman

Carley Drake
Team Coach of Youth Sun Spots

I have been coaching with PCT for 5 years. I've experienced a number of coaching accomplishments at PCT. One of the most recent was winning the gym's first CheerSport banner with Youth Fuchsia in 2011. I've had the honour of coaching a number of teams to a 1st place finish, however my biggest accomplishment is watching athletes develop and perfect their skills both on and off the mat. I started my cheerleading career at Montclair Public School in Oakville. I cheered for two years before moving onto my high school team at White Oaks Seconadry School. I cheered on WOSS from 2000-2004. After high school I cheered at Wilfred Laurier University from 2004-2007. In 2007, I started cheering at PCT and I have been part of the Open 6 team for the past three seasons. I just finshed my final season as an athlete by accomplishing my personal goal of attending the 2011 ISAF World Championships. I attended Wilfrid Laurier University where I studied Psychology and Business Administration. When I'm not working at PCT, I work for HSBC as a Project Analyst. I am in the processing of applying for my PMP designation. What's most exicting is I just bought my first home.

There are a lot of reasons why I love coaching at PCT. The coaches and the athletes really are like one big family. The atmosphere is always fun and challenging at the same time. I love walking into the gym on a Saturday morning and seeing all of the athletes excited to get started. I love how dedicated and involved the parents are in their child's development and in the success of the gym. I love how helpful the other staff members are and that I can always count on any one of them to help me out.

"Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly."- Shaquille O'Neal
 

Kristy Easton
Team Coach of Junior Galaxy

I have been coaching with PCT since the beginning in 2004. I have coached many teams over the years but some accomplishments include; numerous Provincial and National Championships, such as Junior Level 1 PCA National Champions, Youth Open- Cheer Alliance National Champions 2009, Jamfest National Champions 2009 - Senior 2, Youth Periwinkle 2011 Provincial and National Champions. My biggest accomploshment as an athlete is Undefeated in 2004 with White Oaks Secondary School, PCA National Champions with Open Coed and Open All girl. Level 6 grand champions in WSF Myrtle beach 2009 with Open All girl.

PCT has been my second home since the doors opened. I take great pride in watching the athletes that were once on our first youth team, grow and develop throughout the program. Coaching at PCT has given me the opportunity to grow and develop as a coach, as well as a young adult. PCT's values have helped shape who I am today, and I can only hope that I can instill those values onto my athletes. We truly are one team, one family.

" The only time success comes before work, is in the dictionary." - Vince Lombardi
 

Pete Lizak
Team Coach of Open Zodiac

This is my second year coaching at PCT. I spent four years coaching the University of Waterloo and several years coaching at Cheersport Sharks.

As an athlete, I started cheering at the University of Waterloo and continued cheering for Open teams such as Power Cheer Gym Vipers, Cheersport Sharks and of course PCT Cobras. I have won numerous National Championships in both the US and Canada and was part of the World Champion Team Canada in 2011.

My goal for this year includes running wonderfully clean routines at Nationals and Provincials and taking the International Open Coed 6 Island Punch team to the IASF World Championships for a repeat of a top ten finish in a very hard division. I am looking forward to working with a large number of returning athletes on the Island Punch team, along with some very talented newcomers. I am very excited to be able to work with the athletes and staff at PCT and is excited for the upcoming season.

"The big secret in life is there is no secret. Whatever your goal. You can get there if you're willing to work." - Oprah Winfrey

Michelle McCormick
Team Coach of Senior Cosmic Rays

I have been coaching at PCT for 5 season. Over my years coaching, I have had the opportunity to help lead a few of my teams become provincial champions, and even grand champions. It is not the wins that stick in my memory, however, when I think of what I have accomplished in my 8 years of coaching cheerleading. I have had the pleasure to help my athletes master skills, gain confidence, and go on to compete with their university teams....and even win a few championships on the way :). Seeing them grow not only as an athlete, but as a person and knowing I was part of that, has always been my greatest accomplishment.I had always wanted to be a cheerleader and when I was in grade 9, I got my chance. I was on my high school team for all 4 years but in grade 10 I also started All-Star. When I was 18 I joined Cobras and have been bleeding Red, Gold and Blue for the past 7 years. In my life outside of cheerleading, I am a Registered Massage Therapist. I also play on a softball team with my sister and I have a wonderful Chocolate Lab named Ryder.

I love coaching at PCT because it really is like a second family. I have the people who I look up to and am constantly learning from, as well as friends I have made who I know will always be in my life. It is a positive environment where I know I can feel comfortable asking questions, and there is always someone at the gym who can make me feel great when I’m having a bad day.

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won’t be worth a dime". - Babe Ruth

JJ Peterson
Team Coach of Mini Big Dippers
Tumbling Class and Private Lesson Instructor

I have been coaching at PCT for 3 years. I was a Coach in Training for the 2009-2010 season and this past season I coached the Youth Fucshia team. My coaching accomplishments include 2 first place finshes for Youth Fucshia. I also coached and choreographed the 2011 Cheer Evolution Mini Duo National Champions. I have been privileged to work with some very dedicated & talented athletes. I have been a proud Cobra for 7 years. Some of my teams throughout my years at PCT include Youth Excel, Youth Advanced, Junior Excel, Junior Advanced, Junior Aqua, Senior Royal and this season Senior Wild Blackberry. Outside the PCT, I am finishing my last year in high school.

I love coaching at PCT because all of the athletes and coaches embody the same Motto of ‘One Team, One Family’.

"You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take" - Wayne Gretzky

Meaghan Piitz
Team Coach of Youth Sun Beams and Junior Stars
Class Instructor

Vanessa Melo
Pre-competitive Coach and Class Instructor

Carly Howcroft
Team Coach of Mini Big Dippers and Youth Sun Spots

Andrea DeGazon
Team Coach of Junior Stars and Senior Pulsars

Jessica Palazzese
Team Coach of Senior Pulsars
Tumbling Classes and Private Lessons Instructor

I have been coaching at PCT for 3 years. My coaching accomplishments are definitely coaching kids who come in to the gym with zero tumbling experience and within a year (or so) get a back handspring, plus everything that comes before it! It's so rewarding. I also enjoyed coaching the PCT Power Program Duo and Individuals this past season. As an athlete I have been to the IASF World Championships 3 times and will hopefully make it 4 by the end of the 2011-2012 season. For two seasons I competed on International Open Coed 5 and most recently competed on International Open 6 Smoke. I am going into my third year at York university as an English major, hoping to graduate with a double major in Social Science. Once I am fully completed school I plan on becoming an elementary school teacher so I can continue to work with kids. Another potential career would definitely be working for a magazine company as a writer or editor.

There are so many reasons I like coaching at PCT, yet I think the main reason would be working with all of the amazing people on staff with me, who are willing to help at anytime. Another big reason I love coaching at PCT is working with all of the kids. It is such a rewarding feeling knowing that they look up to me!

"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities". - J.K. Rowling

Danielle Hilliard
Class and Private Lessons Instructor

Season 9 will be my third year coaching at PCT. I am a certified gymnastics instructor and have been coaching since I was 14 years old. I love working with the athletes to accomplish their personal goals. I cheered on the Western Mustangs throughout my years at university and am now entering my third season as a Cobra on the International Open Coed 6 Island Punch team. I have also cheered on Team Canada at the ICU World Championships. I attended the University of Western Ontario and graduated in 2010 with a Major in Sociology and Minor in Criminology. Currently I work at JWT, an advertising agency in downtown Toronto.

I enjoy coaching at PCT because the gym provides such a positive environment that I love to be a part of. I’ve been on both sides, as an active participant and now as a coach; I get to share my knowledge of the sport and specific tumbling skills with these talented young athletes. I value being a part of the memories that are created in the Cobras gym. It makes me happy to witness each athlete succeed, not only inside the gym, but also in their day to day lives. It’s a great feeling to know that I’ve played a role in their accomplishments.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”. - Winston Churchill

Ashley Jones
Tumbling Classes and Private Lessons Instructor

I joined the PCT coaching staff in 2005. There have been numerous Provincial and National titles with the teams I coached but one accomplishment I am particularly proud of is this past season when my Senior 4.2 Onyx team won their division at the 2011 Jamfest Super Nationals in Indianapolis – being one of the largest and definitely toughest competitions out there.

I began cheering when I was 15, cheering on an All-Star team for my high school before coming to PCT Cobras when I was 18. I cheered on PCT’s Open team for 2 years followed by Open All-girl team for 1 year. I no longer cheer, but spend 4 days a week coaching instead. I am what I like to refer to as a professional student – I am currently working on my third post-secondary program and will soon be a high school teacher. I absolutely love travelling and experiencing different cultures and think that everybody should go see the world!

I love coaching at PCT because it’s like my second home, as I’m sure a lot of coaches and athletes feel this way. When you walk through the doors parents, athletes and fellow coaches are always happy to see you, ready with a story to tell you and excited about being there. The overall vibe in the gym is awesome. I am proud to coach at a gym that prides itself on developing each athlete as an individual and I love being part of the excitement when an athlete learns a new skill. It doesn’t seem to matter how old you are – everybody loves ringing the bell! It doesn’t seem to matter whether you are an open athlete, or even a parent athlete, new goals are set and old goals are constantly being achieved.

"You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream" - C.S Lewis