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She's got spirit

It's odd to hear spirit coordinator Jennifer Cloutier refer to UNT's national champion cheerleaders as her "kids" when she looks like she could be a member of the squad herself.

Although Cloutier has an impressive background, she has never held a single job - well, not just one at a time.


She taught dance at UNT before being hired in 1990 as UNT's dance director, a position she held until last September when she became the spirit coordinator. She now oversees the dance team, the cheerleading squad and Scrappy - UNT's mascot. While working for UNT, Cloutier cheered for the Dallas Mavericks from 1989 to 1991 and for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 1994.

Cloutier already had performed professionally before graduating from high school. At 16, she danced for the Kansas City Chiefs after lying about her age.

"But when I made the dance team, I knew I had to tell them the truth," she says.

As much as she enjoys performing, Cloutier loves staying home with Josh and Joey, her 18-month-old identical twins, even more.

"I don't think you really ever get performing out of your blood," Cloutier says. "But I cherish so much the time I get to spend with my boys. I don't want to miss a minute."

She and Gordon, her college sweetheart and husband, sometimes feel like tag team parents.

"When he comes in the door, I'm ready with my dance bag over my shoulder," Cloutier says. "I'm a 24-hour kind of gal."

Primarily a stay-at-home mom by day and UNT spirit coordinator by night, Cloutier also works as an instructor for Marching Auxiliaries (a Dallas-based dance and drill team consultant), as a national judge for dance nd drill teams, and as a photo director for the Body Wrappers catalog.

Cloutier has never allowed her additional jobs to overshadow her work at the university.

"I came here in 1986 to go to school, and I never left," Cloutier says. "I love it here."

When hired as the spirit coordinator, Cloutier was handed a cheerleading squad that had not had a coach since the previous spring. At summer camp, the team received the "most improved" award. Within six months, they became national champions.

The squad of 12 men and eight women shocked and rocked - and won - the 2000 National Cheerleaders Association competition April 7 in Daytona Beach, Fla. They placed 17th in the 1999 NCA competition.

"We were way beyond the Twilight Zone," she says. "We were freaked."

BY LISA WILHOITE
lwillhoite@unt.edu 		 

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