MEGAN BUCKNER

HEAD COACH

10 National Championships, 5 State Championships and numerous regional titles has solidified Megan in the competitive cheerleading sport.  For over 7 years Megan has coached and nurtured all our athletes, pushing them to excel at every level.  She is not shy to hard work and is a huge motivator for our team.  Her knowledge, vision and dedication has been a driving force at keeping U.R.N. at the top of our game.

ERNIE VALDES

COACH

Ernie Valdes was born and raised in Miami  where he got his start as an All-Star cheerleader.  He has coached, directed, and served as the in-house choreographer for several successful cheer programs throughout the country.   Early in Ernie's coaching career, he head coached Top Gun Jr All-Stars where he had the privilege of coaching United Rock Nation's owner and founder, Shannon Buckner.  This team later became the first Top Gun Sr. Lady Jags team.  As he pursued his four year degree at FIU in Miami, he went on to form his own program, the Legend All-Stars.  As an athlete, he was nominated both high school and collegiate All-American and was a member of the 1996 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies Performance Team.  During the end of his own cheer career, he went on to win the top prize “NCA Nationals Grand Champion” by beating every other team at the college level while competing with the Florida International University Competition Cheer Squad.  As a coach and choreographer, Ernie has won numerous innovative choreography awards, as well as several NCA, UCA, JAMFEST, WSF, and USASF Worlds Titles.  While away from Florida Ernie has coached at the college level, by joining the coaching staff at the University of Maryland.  He was also part of the world champion winning coaching staff at Maryland Twisters and ICE of Illinois.  Ernie is a great motivator.  His passion and work ethic is easily noticed around the gym and at competitions.  He loves what he does and feels blessed to have the opportunity to work with such incredible athletes.  He is a teacher, mentor and a wonderful role model for everyone at United Rock Nation.

Joshua Stone

COACH

We are thrilled to announce Joshua Stone as another phenomenal addition to the United Rock Nation Family in 2018.  Joshua has an absolutely amazing history of success as an athlete, coach and leader that spans nearly two decades.  Raised in Elkhart, IN, Joshua’s passion for the sport was ignited in his teens and led the way for him to cheer at the collegiate level for Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.  There he earned his Bachelor Degree in Health and Fitness and graduated from Purdue University in 2011.  As a former athlete, he then returned to his childhood program of ICE All-Stars in Aurora, IL and began coaching.  During his tenure coaching, Joshua has been the head coach of numerous competitive NCA National Champion, Summit finalists and mid-season teams that have been highly successful locally and nationally with over 70 National titles in the past 6 years alone!  Joshua’s passion is coaching and mentoring kids of all ages and specializes in drill emphasis, technique correction and tumbling progression.  His goal is to teach his athletes life long lessons that will help kids of today become successful thinkers and adults of tomorrow.