Pickering, Ruppert enjoying new appointments

Mullen cheer and poms have been operating this fall with interesting modifications.

In addition to cheer head coach EmilyPickering joining Mullen fulltime as athletics administrative assistant, her program has added male members and the new poms coach Lauretta Ruppert, also a member of the school’s theology department.

Pickering, who took over cheer the past school year, said she is “currently working toward my degree in sports administration, which is one of the reasons I was so excited about this position. It will be a great learning experience for me to use as a stepping stone later on down the road. I am
also super grateful to be a part of the Mullen community as a full-time employee, along with being able to be on campus everyday with my athletes.”

As for adding boys to her squad, Pickering said “this is the first eyar in Mullen history that the cheerleading team has added boys on the roster. The world of co-ed cheerleading is growing at a tremendous rate and we are more than ecstatic to have them as additions. They bring a diverse structure into the program along with a new tradition we hope to keep alive for years to come.”

Ruppert, a native of Maryland near the Washington D.C. area, has served as a missionary, lived in Nicaragua and began dancing while in high school.

Her enthusiasm is high.

“Mullen is so awesome,” she said. “The culture is awesome. It’s not just a football school. I went to a school with a lot of football powers around (Our Lady of Good Counsel), but we value everything here. Everything here is different, but valued.”

Mustangs athletic director Vince Massey said he’s excited about the two appointments and that Pickering “will help our office to provide great athletic experiences for our student-athletes.”