Meet The Coaches

TAYLOR MCKAIG

Head Cheer Coach

Born and raised in Topeka, KS, Coach McKaig graduated from WRHS in 2010 where she was a cheerleader all four years. She was a competitive dancer, gymnast & cheerleader growing up and upon graduation chose to continue her cheerleading career at Kansas State University.

Coach McKaig began teaching dance at the age of 16 at The Dance Factory and began her cheer coaching career in Topeka/Lawrence at G-Force Athletics at the age of 18. She spent 5 years on staff for the Universal Cheerleaders Association where she had the opportunity to work with thousands of kids all over the country and travel to Australia teaching cheer camps. Upon moving to SW Kansas to be with her now husband, she began coaching all star cheer at Diamond Athletics in Dodge City, KS while also serving as the Spirit Squad Coordinator overseeing the cheer & dance programs at Dodge City Community College.

Following a move back home to Topeka in May 2016, she accepted the head cheer coach position at Washburn Rural High School. In December 2016, she accepted the Head Coach position at Washburn University. After two years of balancing coaching both cheer programs & a newborn, she resigned from Washburn University in July 2019.

Her favorite memories include getting to know the team at camp, always being the crazy loud coaches hyping up her team at competition & celebrating any time an athlete gets a new skill!

TATEUM HUGHES

Varsity Assistant Coach

Tateum was born and raised here in Topeka, Kansas and is a WRHS alumni. Tateum was a four year member of our very own Dancin' Blues and girls golf team. As a competitive dancer since the age of 5 she also competed and participated in cheerleading along the way. Following graduation from WRHS in 2017 she decided to continue teaching dance and became a member of the Washburn University Cheerleading team under then head coach Taylor Mckaig.

Throughout high school she became apart of the work study program at The Dance Factory and continues to teach at the studio today. Tateum is currently in nursing school at Baker University School of Nursing here in Topeka and will graduate in May of 2021. Following graduation she plans to work in Topeka as a registered nurse. Her favorite part about nursing is being able to connect and make a difference in patient's lives every single day. She also enjoys how similar of an impact her coaches and teachers growing up had on her and hopes to have an impact on all of her athletes as well.

She was hired to the WRHS cheer staff in May of 2018 and has been the JV coach for the past two seasons. Tateum has been apart of helping choreograph and coach our competition teams as well. New this year, she is moving up to become the Varsity Assistant Coach.

Tateum loves to see her athletes succeed. "There is no better feeling than watching your kids walk off the mat knowing they did the best they possibly could for themselves and their teammates. There is no better feeling as a coach no matter what the results are in any competition!"

Shelby Day

Junior Varsity Coach

Shelby was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. She graduated from Washburn Rural High School in 2016. Growing up, she did gymnastics and competitive dance at CAGE gymnastics. She started cheering in 7th grade and did one year of competitive cheer in 8th grade with G-Force Athletics coached by Taylor McKaig. She then cheered all 4 years at WRHS. After high school she attended Kansas State University and graduated in 2020 with a degree in Human Development and Family Science. She is now working in Topeka as a real estate assistant while also helping coach the JV cheer team.

In her free time, Shelby loves to spend time with her family and friends, going boating and volunteering at Fellowship Bible Church as a youth group leader. A few miscellaneous things about Shelby is that she loves coffee and worked at a coffee shop in college. She loves Chick-Fil-A, Disney movies, and her favorite color is yellow.

"I’m so excited to be back cheering on the Jr. Blues as a coach!"

Page updated

Report abuse