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The spirit leaders of Ponderosa High School have long been associated with the tradition of Ponderosa pride and athletics. PHS opened it's doors in 1983, and the cheerleading program formed that same year, and the poms/dance followed almost ten years later in 1994. The spirit program boasts a strong base of alumni who have helped to make the teams what they are today.

The four teams that make up the spirit program are the Varsity & JV Cheer teams and the Varisty & JV Poms teams. The official season runs August - March, however all four teams train in the off-season summer months. Tryouts for all teams are typically held in late April. Tryout information can be found on the cheer and dance pages.

All four teams typically train four-six times per week. In addition to team practices the teams train in cardio, tumbling, stunting, yoga and dance technique. In addition to supporting Ponderosa Athletics , all four teams compete at the local level, and both Varsity teams compete at the National level. In 2008 all four teams placed in the top three at the Continental League Championships, bringing home three League Titles!

The Spirit Teams host the Annual Golf Gournament and the Annual Mini & Junior Mustangs Camp each year to raise funds for the program. Visit the 'Events' page for more information on these fundraisers and other happenings!

Ponderosa's mascot is the Mustang, and our school colors are cardinal and gold.

The dance program, made up of the Varsity and JV teams, perform a variety of dance styles including pom, jazz, lyrical, & hip hop, kick and more. Both teams perform at home football games, home basketball games, assemblies, and other sporting events. Both teams compete at the state level, and the Varsity team competes at the national level.

The Varsity team has won the Colorado State Jazz Championship in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006 and were runners-up of the competition five other times. They have earned four Continental League titles, and numerous UDA & NDA Regional Titles.

The JV team, formed in 2003, has placed in the top 3 consistently at all local competitions. In 2005 the Continental League added the JV divisions, Ponderosa has claimed two of the three titles since. They have placed 3rd and 2rd at the JV Invitational. In 2008, they earned 1st place at the UDA Regional out of 11 JV teams! The JV team typically competes five times per year.

On the National level the Varsity team has placed in the finals for the past 10 years. In 2008 the team competed in both the small pom and small jazz divisions at the National Dance Team Championships in Orlando, Florida, placing 6th and 7th respectively. In 2005, they were named NDA Small Jazz National Champions and NDA National Grand Champions, as well.

The poms program holds a 3.67 GPA on average each year. The Varsity team has earned the CHSAA Academic Team Championship title six times. Dancers in the program are expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher.

The Poms program credits much of their success to a team philosophy that they strive to live up to each day. These goals and principles inspire them to be better on the dance floor and in life outside of dancing. The Ponderosa Poms Philosophy list reads:

Be humble and classy ladies, continue the legacy, be respected, be strong athletes in the classroom and on the dance floor, lead by example, entertain audiences with unique and original choreography, make a difference, learn something everyday, and work hard and have fun.

Outside of practice, games and competitions the Ponderosa dancers stay busy with community service and fundraising. They volunteer at and particpat in: Race for the Cure, The Children's Hospital, Praying Hands Ranch, Colorado Mental Health, and more. In 2007-2008 the team, led by senior Jenna Eyre, worked to gather supplies to send care packages to soilders in Iraq. Upon recieving many letters and thank you's from the men and women in Iraq, the dancers felt extreme pride for their efforts knowing they made a difference.

This is Christina's fifth season with Ponderosa. She specializes in pom and jazz at the high school and all-star levels. She is the Dance Director at Peak Athletics Plus in Highlands Ranch. Christina is the director and a coach for Peak's all-star teams, runs the recreational cheer & dance team program, and the recreational dance department. Christina danced at Littleton High School and served as captain and was honored as a UDA All-Star. She went on to dance at Miami University (OH) where she served as captain and was honored as MVP. She has choreographed for numerous theater companies, high school and all-star dance teams, and for singles figure skaters. She has worked with the Junior Denver Bronco Cheerleaders and recreational programs and dance teams both in Colorado and Ohio. She serves on the board of the Colorado Spirit Coaches Association, and judges at the local and national level. Outside of dance Christina is a freelance graphic designer and enjoys traveling and time with her family and husband Giancarlo.

Jeanie is an elementary school teacher in the Cherry Creek School District. For the last twelve years she has taught at Peakview Elementary. She is currently teaching forth grade, but has also taught Kindergarten through fifth grade. This is Jeanie’s seventh year of coaching. Her first five years of coaching were at Grandview High School. In April of 2007, she joined Ponderosa as the JV Coach. As a coach, Jeanie encourages her athletes to always work hard and good things will happen inside and outside of cheerleading. Jeanie and her husband, Tom, are the proud parents of Lia 22, Leesie 18, and Michael 17.