Lessons for The Real World

Julie Goodwin, 66, has helped turn the Allen Park High School competitive cheer team into a state dynasty, winning an incredible seven MHSAA state titles during her 21 years running the program. The Jaguars were the 2025 Division 2 state champions and Goodwin was named Coach of the Year for the fifth time.

Allen Park also has finished second five times during its amazing stretch of success.

“There are a lot of people who have contributed to our success,” Goodwin said. “These kids work really hard and that’s where it all starts. Their work ethic is so impressive, and they know they have to put in the time to be champions.”

After some early success – they reached the state finals in Goodwin’s first year thanks to a strong senior class – the Jaguars vaulted to the next level when they turned part of their focus to younger cheerleaders.

“That’s when everything really changed,” Goodwin said. “Jessica (Tremonti), who has been with me the entire time, is the middle school head coach. After a few years together we knew we had to do something to build the program, so Jessica went down to the middle school and started building a program down there. We now have a very strong little league program, middle school program and JV program. They all feed the varsity team and our success.”

Goodwin also has built an amazing support staff that features mostly former Allen Park athletes. The team includes varsity assistant coaches Meghan Megill, Carolyn Morris, Lyric Spears (all alumni) and Tina Johnson. Sydney Bain (middle school), Angela Sammut, Makenzie Waddell, Shar Kehr, Ella Anselmi, and Emery Cole (middle school) are assistants and all alumni. JV head coach Tera Waddell and assistant Faith Ridolfi also are alumni.

The Jaguars have had an amazing rivalry with Gibraltar Carlson. Since 2007, 18 years total, either Carlson or Allen Park have won the Division 2 state title. The Marauders have won 11 state titles while the Jaguars have won seven during that span.

But while that rivalry pushes both programs to be better, the success of competitive cheer goes beyond the trophy case.

“It’s about life lessons,” Goodwin said. “They learn that if you work hard for something then good things will happen. And they take these lessons out into the real world. That’s what I’m most proud of. When they come back years after competing and tell me stories about how what they learned in cheer has benefited them in life.”