Mackey named new cheer coach

The Saddleback athletics department was happy to announce the hiring of Allie Mackey as the new cheer coach for the department.  Mackey takes over following the retirement of longtime coach Denise Harris.

Mackey is a former student and was a member of the Saddleback Cheer Team from 2012-14.  Following her days at Saddleback she cheered for the California Allstars in 2014 and 2015, winning a bronze medal in 2014 and a silver medal in 2015.  Mackey also cheered at UC Irvine where she was a Spirit Squad Member and Team Captain.

Mackey started her coaching career in 2012 and was a the coach of the JV squad at Laguna Hills High School until 2018.  She was an assistant coach at UC Irvine from 2018-2020 and the coach at Portola Hills High School from 2018-22.  Most recently, Mackey has been the coach at Vista Murrieta High School since 2023. 

"As a proud alumna and former captain of the Saddleback College Cheer Team, I'm thrilled to contribute to the continued success of the program," Mackey said.  "The foundation I built here as a cheerleader shaped my journey as both a coach and an educator, and I'm honored to give back to a team that had such a lasting impact on me. Returning to Saddleback in a leadership role is a full-circle moment, and I'm excited to bring my deep-rooted passion for cheerleading back to where it all began. Go Bobcats!"

Mackey takes over the program following the retirement of Denise Harris, who coached cheer at the school for 25 years.