POCATELLO — The Highland cheer team has claimed its second consecutive national title, adding to an impressive record of 16 state championships under coach Jessica Gallup.

The team competed for two days in Las Vegas last week against squads from across the country, successfully defending their back-to-back championship title.

“We just want you to know you guys are the best team we’ve ever seen in this arena,” Gallup said, recounting a comment from competition staff. “It was fun because the entire arena was cheering for us, which usually isn’t the case — people don’t like us to win. But these are teams from all over the nation saying, ‘You guys are amazing. You’re incredible.’ That was probably one of the best compliments I’ve had.”

Gallup has won a U.S. national title since 2023 and now two consecutive JAMZ National Cheer Competition titles. She has been a head coach for 28 years, starting at age 18, and has led Highland to 16 state titles.

“I have really high expectations for these kids, and I think the reason we’ve been so successful is because they rise to the occasion,” Gallup said. “They’re good kids on the mat and also at school. They are recent academic champions for the state and the district. They’re smart. It’s a big deal.”

For Gallup, academic and athletic excellence go hand in hand. She has coached girls who have gone on to become doctors, and those outcomes, she said, make the work worthwhile.

The Highland squad will soon take its only break of the year — six weeks — before returning to a demanding schedule of training, cheering events and competitions.

“It’s hard on your body,” Gallup said. “Not only are you cheering for yourself, you also have to cheer for all these other sports, so it’s very demanding of your time.”

Gallup’s cheerleaders often spend more time with her than with their own parents. In many ways, she said, she helps raise these girls through high school.

“We have really high expectations and morals,” Gallup said. “We expect a lot from so many different angles, and they’ve risen to the occasion. I think they like that challenge. It’s not always easy, but they seem to live up to it.”

The team’s national title is even more remarkable given that Highland has practiced at two area churches for the past three years following a fire that gutted the school’s gymnasium.

“We rotated around,” Gallup said. “That was a challenge at first because we had to drag all our props and equipment everywhere we went. But I actually think it’s been more beneficial — they had to adapt. These kids are really good at adapting to different atmospheres, and I think that’s why they do so well in competition. You’re in different places, it’s unfamiliar, but they’re used to that.”

Gallup also credits her gym, Cheer Extreme Idaho, where many of her cheerleaders have trained since age 4. Those early years often pay dividends a decade later.

“I would definitely say this is the high point of all my years,” Gallup said. “It just seems to get better and better. The quality of athletes coming up is incredible. It’s been amazing — almost euphoric. It almost doesn’t seem real.”

Highland still has work ahead, with the team competing in the state finals Saturday. After six weeks off beginning Monday, Gallup will begin technical training in the spring, followed by strength training in the summer.

While her seniors will move on, perhaps inspired to continue in cheer thanks to the culture Gallup has built, the roster changes every year. At this point, Gallup’s reputation precedes her, and she said she feels lucky to choose from a deep pool of talented athletes.

“Our sophomore class is our biggest class, and they are probably half of our varsity squad,” Gallup said. “This team is going to be good for a while, because they are amazing athletes and they’re only sophomores. I feel like I get the cream of the crop, which really helps.”

Gallup said she is grateful for parents who trust her to coach their daughters and for a team that shows up when it matters most.

“I’d just love to give a shout out to the girls for working so hard,” Gallup said. “For having grit, showing up to practice even when they were sick, and still putting everything they had on that mat.”