OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 18, 2019) – Competitive cheer will be offered at Oklahoma Christian as a club sport beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, OC Athletic Director David Lynn said Monday.

Plans also call for stunt – a fast-growing sport in colleges and high schools – to be added in 2020-21. Susan Jones, who works as an academic coach in OC's Student Success office, will serve as the coach of both programs, which will offer scholarships.

"We are excited to add cheer back to our athletic department here at OC," Lynn said. "I couldn't be more pleased to find such an enthusiastic and talented coach as Susan Jones. Her experience and love for cheer is extremely evident and I know she will do great things with our program.

"I really look forward to the impact the program will have all over campus – at athletic games, homecoming, Lighting of the Commons and every other event in which they will help celebrate what OC is doing. I know it will increase awareness and enthusiasm for everything we are doing in athletics. I also look forward to seeing how the stunt group develops into a quality team that competes nationally and represents OC."

Jones, a Clinton native, cheered at Oklahoma State from 1981 to 1985 and was one of the inventors of the Pistols, an OSU spirit squad. She has worked as a private cheer coach since 1984 and worked with cheer squads at Oklahoma City University and Langston as well as at high schools including Bishop McGuinness, Deer Creek, Mustang, Putnam City West and Southwest Covenant.

Jones hopes to have the first part of the program, a spirit squad, in place by the fall 2019 semester. It can consist of both women and men and Jones hopes to have tryouts for students already on campus who might be interested.  In addition to cheering at OC athletic events, the competitive cheer program will compete against other universities in the region.

Stunt is separate from competitive cheer – although Jones anticipates there will be some crossover from the spirit squad – and is for females only. It can have a roster of up to 36 women and is governed under the auspices of USA Cheer. Although not yet an NCAA sport, it is working toward securing that status. Nearby schools that have stunt programs include Oklahoma Baptist, Oklahoma City University, Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Texas-Tyler.

"I think this will get bigger and bigger and bigger," Jones said. "I'm excited about the potential."

Competitive cheer and stunt will join a fast-growing number of club sports at OC. Men's and women's bowling program are in their first season of competition and the university earlier announced it will offer Ultimate as a club sport starting in 2019-20, with both coed and women's teams.

The university also offers varsity programs in 16 sports – baseball, softball and men's and women's golf, soccer, cross country, swimming, basketball, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field, with plans to add women's volleyball for the 2020 season.