Cheerleading
Claire Zagami Kapoor is heading into her twelfth year as head cheerleading coach at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School.
Under Kapoor’s leadership, Good Counsel built one of Washington, D.C.’s premier high school cheerleading programs. In addition to supporting Falcon athletic teams, her squads have competed with distinction. The Falcons won the Independent Schools of Maryland Cheerleading Competition both years it was held (2018 and 2019), with two captains earning Rising Star awards each year.
| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Anna Benzing | 2027 |
| Ava Brooks | 2029 |
| Lucille Conrad | 2026 |
| Natalie deKowzan | 2027 |
| Lily Dusen | 2028 |
| Kate Falchek | 2027 |
| Reagan Graham | 2029 |
| Nora Jewett | 2028 |
| Sofia Khayami | 2029 |
| Madelyn Mufarrij | 2029 |
| Brynn Oergel | 2026 |
| Alessia Parreco | 2029 |
| Alyssa Ryan | 2027 |
| Caitlyn Smith | 2028 |
| Madelyn Smith | 2028 |
| Lillian Symer | 2029 |
| Claire Zito | 2027 |
Varsity Cheerleading Schedule
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Claire Zagami Kapoor Bio Continued..
Several of Kapoor’s cheerleaders have gone on to perform at the collegiate level, including for NCAA Division I programs like Maryland and N.C. State.
Kapoor believes that coaching is a calling, not just a job.
“It takes an inner strength to lead a group to achieve a common goal, to drive excellence and to train for the unexpected,” she said. “It is caring about the team while seeing the individuals as well. The skill of highlighting lessons in your sport will benefit your athletes as they move through life.”
Competing under the name Claire Zagami, Kapoor was a six-time National Cheerleaders Association All-American — three times at Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring, Md., where she served as senior captain and also played varsity lacrosse, and three times at Salisbury University, where she again served as captain and was a Presidential Citizen Scholar.
She earned her bachelor of science in physical education from Salisbury in 2012 and graduated summa cum laude with an M.Ed. in educational leadership and administration from American College of Education in 2017. While teaching at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD., she also coached varsity dance from 2013 to 2020.
Kapoor was born in Rockville and grew up in Brookeville, MD. She teaches health and physical education for Montgomery County Public Schools and lives in Silver Spring, MD., with her husband, Hitesh.