Inductees

She set out to make a positive impact in life, and you can say that Sandi Gildehaus has done just that.

A former high school and college cheerleader, she would attend St. Francis Borgia Regional High School football games and naturally watched the cheer team, too. Then, one day, the cheer coach decided to retire.

“So I threw my name in the hat,” Gildehaus said, “and Borgia was crazy enough to hire me.”

Turns out, it wasn’t outlandish at all. Since Gildehaus took over in 2003, all eyes are now on her team, as the St. Francis Borgia Cheerleading Program is a nine-time state champion.

It’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted Gildehaus with the Class of 2021, which also includes Borgia Cheer.

Borgia’s state titles in the Missouri Cheerleading Coaches Association cover the years 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Which is another way of saying that Gildehaus has thrown her whole heart – and numerous working hours – into the program. That’s despite the fact she works full-time as Coordinator of the Parents as Teachers Program for the School District of Washington, and is a wife and mom.

Then again, it’s not working when you love it.

You see, Gildehaus cheered for Washington High School before graduating in 1990 and then was a cheerleader for East Central College for two years.

Never did she think of becoming a cheer coach. However, that changed while attending Borgia football games in the early 2000s. Her husband, Chris, was an assistant at the time.

“(At games), I would look down and see things they were doing and would think about what I liked and didn’t like,” Gildehaus said.

Gildehaus approached the job with incredible zeal.

“When I started coaching, I always thought it was important to have a continuing education,” Gildehaus said, emphasizing the Missouri Cheerleading Coaches Association played a big role in her development. “I made it a point to go to as many conferences as I could and better my knowledge.”

Not that there was instant success.

In her first year, Borgia was docked 25 points after performing an illegal stunt and finished fourth out of four teams. It was a learning experience, as she had entrusted a choreographer unfamiliar with the rules.

“And it’s not the choreographer’s job to know the rules,” Gildehaus said, taking ownership of the mistake.

The humbling experience made her work that much harder, with more focus.

“It was surprising,” Gildehaus said of what she learned that first year. “Cheerleading is an ever-evolving and changing sport. What I learned in high school and college wasn’t as important anymore.”

That said, her high school coach has long been an inspiration. Terri Ogle apparently had challenged Washington cheerleaders back in the late 1980s.

“My cheer team was one of the first to attempt basket tosses,” Gildehaus said. “(Ogle) made sure we were working on skills. We were working on different skills all the time.”

In her time as Borgia coach, Gildehaus makes it a point to bring Ogle by, both to give the cheerleaders an audience but also, personally, to run ideas by her.

Another influence has been Wanda Throop of Sikeston High School. Her teams won numerous state titles.

“Oh my gosh, they’re amazing,” Gildehaus said. “When I saw them, I thought, ‘What do I need to do get us to that level? It was like the EF Hutton commercial – when she talks, people listen.

“I learned as much as I possibly could from her,” Gildehaus said. “And I’m still learning.”

All of which adds up to the obvious. Because Gildehaus strives for perfection, she tries to put her cheerleaders in position to have success.

Practices last two hours after school every day during the season. And she emphasizes to each cheerleader their importance – and the importance of performing during football and basketball games. In essence, her mentality is that they cannot take a Game Day for granted.

“What we do on the sidelines is just as important,” Gildehaus said. “If we make mistakes on the sidelines, I take it more personally. I’m more bothered by that than if we make a mistake in competition.”

Fortunately, her husband, Chris, and their daughter and former Borgia cheerleader, Anna, have long supported her.

“It’s very rewarding,” Gildehaus said, thanking “millions of mentors” who have helped along the way. “It’s always nice to see them go off to college and when they get married. It’s been a ton of fun.”