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"It's not my fault the coaches quit."

Reported by: Jessica Morkert
Email: jmorkert@koin.com
Last Update: 11/03 7:08 pm
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PORTLAND, Ore. - Alonza Vance said she is hopeful her school's administration will be able to find varsity cheer coaches in time for basketball season.

The Lincoln High cheerleader coaches resigned after a disagreement with Lincoln principal Peyton Chapman. The coaches, Cher Fuller and Tori Cotton, sent out a statement to the media that said they were unable to comply with Principal Peyton Chapman's demand that an athlete be reinstated to the LHS Cardinal Cheer team after several documented violations of the LHS Activities.

Vance wants her fellow cheerleaders to know that she is not the reason the coaches decided to step down.

"I just feel like we should move on and we shouldn't be stuck on the same subject and everybody giving me mean looks in the hall because the coaches quit,” said Vance Tuesday afternoon.  "The Principal did some investigation and I didn't even know about it. Some of the junior varsity cheerleaders told the principal how I was being treated. The coaches found out about how [the principal] investigated them. I found out that she told the coaches that she's putting me back on varsity.”

Vance admits she was tardy to practice on three occasions but had a good excuse for the third occasion. She says she was demoted to J.V, and then kicked off after another incident a short time later.

"I felt like I did what everyone else did.  I followed the code of conduct. I felt like I did more than the other cheerleaders,” said Vance. 

Vance said her removal from the team is in part racially motivated (Vance is African-American), but more so because the coaches just didn't like her.  Koin Local 6 attempted to contact the Cardinals Cheerleading Club. Calls and emails were not returned.

School officials say the new varsity coaches will not be part of the club association. They will be paid employees of Lincoln High School. 
 

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