Codie Wilshusen steps into the position of Varsity cheer coach after long time coaches departure

Bright lights shine down in War Memorial stadium as the start of Friday Night Lights commence. A sea of crimson and white is seen streaking down the turf – football warriors ready for battle – but on the shore of the sidelines lies a substantial crowd in its own right: the 31-strong PRHS varsity cheerleaders. 

Coaching the girls for the first time is Codie Wilshusen, standing strong on the side with her athletes. A Bearcat herself from 2013 to 2017, Wilshusen, a flyer, leader, and standout was coached at the time by now Athletic Director Tori Loney and advanced dance teacher Jennifer Bedrosian. Wilshusen, one of the youngest on the PRHS teaching staff, was a UCA All American cheerleader, a family gal, and an educator who wants to bring fresh spirit, and live up to the PRHS legacy.

Wilshusen started gymnastics between the ages of 2-3 and earned up to level 8, one of the highest to achieve, when she decided to try cheer her sophomore year. As her three years went by, Wilshusen became an integral part of the team being a great flier and gymnast, which earned her the title of UCA All American cheerleader her senior year. She was able to travel to New York for the Macey’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and London for the New Year’s Day Parade to represent PRHS. After graduation, she stayed close to home in the coming years, majoring in kinesiology at Cal Poly  in SLO, while also competing for her other passion, pole vault. 

Wilshusen comes from a family of Bearcats, with her younger sister Jenna Wilshusen on the team and her father as the varsity pole vault coach and a varsity football coach. Leadership boiled in her blood. She started to coach gymnasts at the age of 15, but arrived at PRHS when she helped, with tumbling the previous school year, 2021-2022. 

During the fall Wilshusen got to see the cheer side once again. As tryouts came around during the spring, sister Jenna, senior, started cheering for the high school, too. Jenna says she has had a motivating experience with her big sister as coach. 

“I was scared that I was going to have special treatment but having her there makes me work even harder,”

Wilshusen coaches very hands-on with the girls, demonstrating to them proper technique in skills such as standing tucks, back handsprings, and layouts. 

“The biggest change I wanted to implement this year was an increase in team spirit and connection with our student section/crowd,” Wilshusen said. Having her younger siblings at the high school have made the transition easier by being able to understand the struggles that students are facing in their day to day lives. Her high school cheer coach Tori Loney influenced  her ideas of success . But she did have worries meeting the new team.

Taking in new ideas to build on the strong foundation we started off with has been extremely beneficial to our program!

Miranda Martinez
one of three varsity cheer captains this year

“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t making too many changes to our program all at once and respecting some of the aspects of the team and practices that many were used to,” Wilshusen said. The girls have adjusted, just as Wilshusen has and though some of the times have been rocky, they have enjoyed her coaching style. 

Being able to come back to the community that influenced her as a young adult, C. Wilshusen is grateful for the opportunity to help the young ladies learn more about cheer and what it has to offer. 

“Once a Bearcat Always a Bearcat!” Wilshusen said.