Bio

Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Tori Pimentel has built a strong and lasting connection with the Missouri Valley College cheer program, first as an athlete and now as a coach. She began cheerleading during her sophomore year of high school, where her work ethic quickly set her apart. From the moment she started, she knew she wanted to continue cheering at the collegiate level.

Pimentel joined the MVC Cheer program as an athlete in 2017 and immediately became part of a highly successful era. She was a member of the Conference and Regional Championship teams in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, as well as the National Championship team in 2018. She graduated from Missouri Valley College in 2021 with a degree in Business Management.

Although she did not compete in other sports, athletics played a major role in her upbringing. Her father was a high school and college baseball coach, and through him she learned many things that she was able to use as an athlete and coach in cheerleading.

Her desire to become coach came during her junior year of college at MVC. As she was closing out her third year, she realized she wanted more than just one final season as an athlete.

“I really wanted more than just one more year of cheerleading in my life.”

She began coaching in 2021 and is now in her sixth year overall as a coach.

Since stepping into her coaching role, Pimentel has continued to contribute to the program’s success. She has been part of Conference Championship wins and National appearances in 2021, 2022, and 2023. In 2023, she helped launch the MVC STUNT team as Head Coach and also began her role as Spirit Squad Coordinator. She currently serves as Head Coach for STUNT, Assistant Coach for the NAIA and UCA teams, and Head Recruiter for the Spirit Squad Program, which includes Cheer, STUNT, Dance, and Mascot.

What she enjoys the most about coaching is watching her athletes accomplish goals they have set for themselves. She believes it is important for athletes to take ownership of their ambitions while working toward team goals set by the coaching staff.

Beyond competition, accountability is the main value Pimentel emphasizes with her athletes, both in and out of practice.

“We teach them to be accountable for their mistakes, their classes, their grades, their attitudes, and their skills in routines. They are responsible for their own success or failure.”

Her coaching style has evolved over time, particularly in learning when to step back and allow athletes to take responsibility.

“It has been hard to give them the tools and then leave it up to them on whether they use the tools or not. We cannot do everything for them, or they will never learn to be accountable and independent adults.”

For Pimentel, success begins with understanding that each athlete is part of something bigger than themselves. Individual actions affect the team, the program’s alumni, and future athletes who will follow in their footsteps.

“We believe as a program that pressure is a privilege.”

Adapting to different personalities is central to her coaching philosophy. She believes the only way to coach effectively is by getting to know athletes as individuals.

“Some athletes respond well to strict and hard coaching. Some do not, and that is okay.”

While she tends to be stricter in team settings, she adjusts her approach in individual conversations based on personality, relationships, and learning styles.

According to her, one of the biggest challenges of coaching at the collegiate level is finding the balance between guidance and independence. While athletes are learning to be adults, they still need support.

“We want to be there for them and help keep them from failing, but we know that they also need to be accountable and need to learn from their own choices and mistakes. It is a hard balance between helping and enabling.”