COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Lindsey Wilson College athletic director Willis Pooler has announced the hiring of Damon Hicks as the cheer and dance coach for Blue Raider athletics.

Hicks comes to Lindsey Wilson with a wealth of experience. The Ohio State University graduate has spent the past 10 years running Damon's CTA in which he coaches all-star cheer and dance competition teams, power tumbling competitions and choreographs state-championship caliber routines within Adair County and surrounding areas.

At Lindsey Wilson, Hicks will prepare both squads for competition at the Mid-South Conference Championship, as well as performing at various athletic and community events on and around the Lindsey Wilson campus.

"I'm very excited to be the new Lindsey Wilson College head cheer and dance coach," Hicks said. "This will be a great opportunity to use my knowledge and expertise on the collegiate level to help these talented athletes gain the respect and confidence needed to have a strong showing at the conference events, as well as on campus and in the community."

Prior to starting Damon's CTA, Hicks co-owned and managed Premier Cheerleading and Tumbling in Somerset, Ky., where he coached All-Star teams and tumbling. Hicks served as the program director at Tammy Jo's Studio in Greenup, Ky., in the late 90's and was an administrator for All-American Cheer and Dance in Honolulu, Hawaii for eight years.

Hicks is a certified coach by the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches & Administrators (AACCA) and is a certified tumbling coach by the United States Tumbling Association (USTA) and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).