As of the 2025-2026 cheerleading season, Fauquier High School’s (FHS) cheerleaders were stuck without a coach. FHS assistant principal Diana Story, having coached many other girls’ sports, stepped in to save the season and provide the cheerleaders with an exceptional learning experience. Having never coached cheer, the task was daunting; however, Story’s previous coaching experience and qualifications made it easy to adjust. In fact, taking time out of her day and willingly giving up her free time to support the cheer girls is something Story didn’t think twice about. Story has been a part of FHS for almost 30 years and has played a significant role in the community, including coaching numerous generations of student athletes.
Before beginning her journey at FHS, Story attended Bridgewater College for her undergraduate studies and then pursued her graduate degree in educational supervision at Shenandoah University. When Story first came to FHS, she taught sports marketing and spent her time coaching the volleyball and field hockey teams before assuming her current position as assistant principal. Saying farewell to her team to take on an administrative position was difficult. “It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do…to walk in the door and tell my girls that I wasn’t gonna be there,” Story explained, recalling the emotional rollercoaster she had experienced.
With 28 years of coaching experience in volleyball and 15 years in field hockey, Story is a beloved coach who has watched many of her players grow into better athletes. Volunteering for the cheer team has reestablished her dist coaching ways. “It has brought back a lot of great memories as a coach…Working closely again with the girls means a lot,” Story commented. FHS’s cheerleading team is an outstanding program that Story is excited to be a part of.
The change from chaos to a structured and organized team was a challenge. “The cheerleading team isn’t used to a harsh, expectations-driven coach.” Story described how the girls are managing with her well-known coaching methods, saying, “[the team] has had a lot of improvement on the mat, but there’s still a lot of growth [needed].” The general team improvement is noticeable, and the cheer community is taking on competitions by storm.
Story is a well-respected coach, driven and ready to win. She has taken numerous teams of hers to championships and is ready to do the same with the cheerleaders. Story runs the cheer team with high expectations and pushes them to another level.
