GALT, CA (MPG) - The Galt High School STUNT program has a new face on the sideline this season, and she knows the sport as well as anyone in the area. Natalie Whitcanack, a former Liberty Ranch Hawks STUNT competitor and collegiate athlete, has taken over as head coach of the Warriors, crossing town to build something from the ground up for the crosstown rival of the school where her own STUNT journey began.

It might seem like an unusual transition, but Whitcanack does not see it that way.

 

Coach Natalie Whitcanack makes some adjustments to the stunt group.

“When the thought of crossing town and coaching my rival school came across my mind, I took a second and thought, ‘Is it really my rival school?’” she said. “Galt is a small town holding two high schools, so many people from both schools know each other. I truly have never seen Galt as my rivals: more as littles. Liberty has been league champions since I was in high school. Taking that title was hard. We spent many late nights practicing and spent hours in the gym.”

Those hours in the gym shaped Whitcanack into the coach she is today. After competing at Liberty Ranch under head coach Barbara Welch – who remains the Hawks’ coach and is widely credited with building STUNT in the region – Whitcanack continued her athletic career at Ottawa University in Arizona, where she studied leadership and management while competing on the school’s STUNT team and cheering on its spirit squad. The jump from high school to college competition opened her eyes to just how deep the sport goes.

“People tend to think college STUNT is very similar to high school STUNT,” she said. “How I’d seen it, it was very different. As you get into higher divisions it starts to get way more competitive. You begin competing against schools who work day and night and have amazing coaches that come with a lot of experience.”

Whitcanack credits three coaches in particular for shaping her athletic development: Welch, Brittney Thompson and Audralee Scofield.

“Even after graduating and leaving the team, all three coaches still encourage me to try new things and push myself on a daily basis,” she said. It was Welch, in particular, who inspired Whitcanack to step into coaching herself.

“Watching her coach over the past years and getting to experience her hard work and dedication to making us better athletes made me want to do the same for Galt High,” Whitcanack said. “With Barbara leaving her legacy behind, I feel like this year was a great opportunity to start mine.”

For readers unfamiliar with the sport, STUNT is a head-to-head competitive discipline that grew out of cheerleading but is structured entirely around athletic performance rather than crowd-leading. Two teams compete simultaneously in a series of rounds – partner stunts, pyramids, jumps and tumbling – performing the same required routines at the same time. Judges score each round based on execution, difficulty, synchronization and overall performance quality, with the team winning the most rounds claiming the match.

 

Coach Natalie Whitcanack works with the team to perfect a pyramid.

“STUNT pushes athletes to develop power, precision and teamwork in a way that’s distinct from traditional cheerleading,” Whitcanack said. “Strength is crucial, especially for bases who have to support and lift flyers safely. Timing has to be spot-on. Trust is essential since athletes rely completely on each other to perform risky skills safely.”

That trust is something Whitcanack works to build deliberately and consistently. “I focus on creating an environment where athletes feel comfortable speaking up if something doesn’t feel right,” she said. “We spend a lot of time on fundamentals and drills to make sure everyone knows their role and feels confident in it. When athletes trust their teammates and coach, it shows in their performance and the overall team vibe.”

Her first impressions of the Galt program were honest and direct.

“My first impression when looking at the STUNT team was complete stress,” she admitted. “Galt High has amazing athletes with great talent, but they lack the drive. I believe if they had more encouragement and someone pushing them a little harder, Galt High will thrive in STUNT.” That belief drives her day-to-day coaching philosophy: one built on positivity, accountability and meeting athletes where they are emotionally and developmentally.

“It’s about pushing for progress while also understanding they’re still learning and maturing,” she said.

The transition from competitor to coach has not been without its surprises.

“What’s really surprising about moving from competitor to coach is how much you have to switch gears, from focusing on your own performance to guiding and motivating a whole team,” Whitcanack said. “But something that comes naturally is the passion for the sport and the ability to relate to what the athletes are going through since I’ve personally experienced it myself.”

Her goals for the program are both immediate and long-term. This season, she is focused on building team chemistry, sharpening technical skills and competing with confidence. Looking farther down the road, she envisions a Warriors program that is known throughout the region: one that develops athletes who carry the lessons of STUNT far beyond the gym floor.

“I hope my girls take the passion and love I had for the sport with them,” she said. “Winning or losing, as long as you enjoyed the game, that’s all that matters.”

And to any Galt High student curious about trying STUNT for the first time? Whitcanack’s message is simple: “Go for it. You don’t need prior experience to start. Just be open to learning and having a blast with the team.”

 

Coach Natalie Whitcanack works with a stunt group.