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Ciotti Ready to Return as Hand's Cheer Coach

Licia Ciotti and Madison cheerleading have been inseparable for 10 years now and decade No. 2 will be starting the same way as the one that preceded it.

The former Central Connecticut State University cheerleader was Hand's head coach in 2004 and 2005. After spending time coaching on the town's youth cheer circuit, Licia returned to work with then-Head Coach Michelle Kaufmann. Now, Licia has come full circle as she is once again the head coach of the Tigers' cheerleading program.

"My No. 1 goal is to continue the athleticism that has been instilled in them and to compete at a high level," says Licia, who coached a national champion Madison youth squad in 2012. "I also want the team to get out in the community and keep up their skills to compete at that high level."

While Licia wants to see the girls give 100 percent in both practice and against other schools, she additionally wants to even that work load out by creating a lively atmosphere that is both fun and informative.

"The first thing when it comes to coaching for me is that I want them to be safe, along with having fun and learning a lot from everything," says Licia, a Simsbury native. "I expect both discipline and respect from them, yet I also like positive motivation and constructive criticism. They should treat me with the same respect I show them and I've been with a lot of these girls since they were in 4th or 5th grade, so they know me. We work hard with weight training, running, and drills, but we always finish with something fun for them. You have to have that balance."

With 30 years of coaching experience that dates back to her collegiate days, Licia has experienced many moments that make her appreciate her craft. From running into former pupils to molding future and current athletes, she's in the business that keeps on giving.

"The most rewarding thing is when kids come back to see me at the Guilford game during Thanksgiving time and give me a hug," says Licia. "I also love when kids or parents reach out to me and say 'Thank you.' I try to keep that positive influence so it's great when you see people come back. It's also great when you can take someone with little or no athletic ability and have them gain a skill and compete."

Kaufmann, now Licia's assistant coach, has complete confidence in her ability to build up the Hand cheer program to even greater heights.

"Licia is an extremely dedicated coach with a love of the cheer sport. She had done a great job at building the skill set of the younger cheerleaders so that they are better prepared to be a high school cheerleader," says Kaufmann. "She leads by example and is focused on getting the most out of every cheerleader. In the summer, they did a lot of strength and conditioning, which is critical to improve stunting and overall body control. She also recently increased the intensity of the tumbling program, which should result in better tumbling skills. She has coached for a long time and I am sure will build upon the success the high school has had over the last five years. I look forward to both the youth and high school programs' continued success."

The Tigers already experienced a huge boost this summer when they attended the UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) Camp at Westfield State University in Massachusetts. Hand came home with a championship trophy in the Home Dance Pom Routine and a special honor presented to the team that symbolizes what a cheer team should embody in the "Tradition" plaque, which is for inspiring leadership on and off the field.

"It was so rewarding to win that tradition award at the UCA camp because it shows you coach such great and well-behaved kids," Licia says. "I cannot speak higher of the group of girls we work with."

As Licia and the Tigers get ready to hit the gridiron sidelines every Friday and also travel to various competitive tournaments, she knows Hand has the ingredients to stir up a deep and versatile squad.

"Almost half the girls are tumblers, which is a big part of cheerleading, so that is a huge step in the right direction," says Licia. "We have two elite stunt groups and two more that are working very hard to get to that elite level. We are still in offseason training where we run a mile two to three days a week and we are starting to pull it all together."