Interview with Jamilla Keene
Q&A with our CMI Studio and Social Media Manager, Founding Member, Coach, and Friend Jamilla Keene
Tell the CMI Community about all the young cheerleaders, and dancers you have coached from Geroge Mason Cheer Team to Junior Redskins Cheerleaders to Washington Football to Pro Football Cheerleaders?
I have always enjoyed teaching and watching young cheerleaders and dancers grow and learn. I started teaching & mentoring when I was in high school working with my neighborhood youth cheerleader program and fell in love with teaching. After high school, I worked my summers teaching cheerleading camps for UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) for all ages through the college level. After graduating college, I coached and started the first All-Girl cheer team at George Mason University (my alma mater), and assisted with the National ranked Co-ed Cheer team.
Following my coaching college cheer, I started dancing for the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders, The First Ladies of Football, and continued my passion of teaching by becoming the choreographer/coordinator for the Junior Redskins Cheerleaders program. I have also had the opportunity to teach Capitol Movement's CMI Kidz. I love to watch young dancers learn and grow through cheer and dance. It brings me joy to see their love and passion, and to watch them go on to dance professionally in professional sports or on big stage performances with artists and award shows.
What was your motto or message you wanted each team to take away from working together?
Teamwork makes the dream work, and to always work hard to achieve their dreams. I come from a background of gymnastics and cheerleading, but fell in love with dance later. All in which you are often an individual. But it is important to know that as an individual you are also working on your craft for the betterment of the team as a whole.
And what did you do differently than others that coached you?
I have taken a lot from all my coaches since I was little, and the biggest take away from all of them was to work hard and be consistent. The one thing I feel is important in coaching is to make everyone feel they play an important role with the team. Whether they have a title as captain or not their role on the team is important.
What is the impact youth gain from team sports and positive mentorship?
Team sports gives kids the opportunity first to learn how to work with others, develop leadership skills, and also know how to take feedback and turn it into a positive.
Tell CMI Family in a few words who Jamilla is, what she values and what she wants to work on as a Woman in the nonprofit and youth education world?
Jamilla believes in selflessness, is a giver, and loves to see people around her smile. I value compassion, humility, loyalty, kindness, integrity and honesty. I want to show young women and men that hard work, selflessness, and compassion will take you a long way in life. Nothing in life is easy, but when you work hard you can make it look that way.
Any last advice or for those trying to break into either of these fields?
Last piece of advice is to be YOU, stay positive, and be TRUE to what you believe in. Ultimately it will make an impact in all those that come into your life.
