A retired educator is returning to the sidelines with decades of experience and a desire to help shape the next generation of Excelsior Springs cheerleaders.

Shirley Schwab, who is taking over the cheer program, is one of five new coaches approved by Excelsior Springs School Board for the 2026-27 school year.

Schwab is a retired educator who has spent the past 11 years serving as a long-term substitute in the Excelsior Springs School District following her retirement. She graduated from Lawson High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in Spanish education with a minor in French from Missouri Western University and a master’s degree in education from Graceland University.

She is the mother of four, grandmother of 10 grandchildren and great-grandmother of four. Before retiring, Schwab spent 15 years coaching cheerleading, including two years at Excelsior Springs, three years at Lathrop and 10 years at Fort Osage. During her time at Fort Osage, the program competed at Missouri Cheerlead…