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OUAZ Athletics

Kari Kratchman

Kari Kratchman is in her 6th season as a Head Coach and Director of Spirit Programs & STUNT at Ottawa University Arizona.  She is in her 35th year as a coach. OUAZ SPIRIT SQUAD has won 6 College National Titles in the last 5 years. The most recent accomplishment was the Dance Teams winning the HIP-HOP division and placing 2nd in the POM division at NCA/NDA College Nationals in Daytona, Florida.  In her time at OUAZ, the Spirit dance teams has won three USA Collegiate National Championships and the cheer team won a title at the United Cheer Association College Nationals and placed 2nd and 3rd, in the COED Advanced division at NCA in Daytona.

Coach Kari came to OUAZ as a decorated high school coach, where Shadow Mountain High School won 7 State titles in 9 years. Kari is a regional and national championship judge for the American Championships & Spirit Team, USA, NCA, JAMZ, and local Arizona competitions.

Kratchman has also worked on the Choreography Pros event staff for NBA, NFL, WNBA, Arena Football League, and College Teams. That includes handling event registration, event schedule, merchandise, coaches/athlete check-in, and more. She also spent two seasons as a Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Dancer and was a Super Bowl XXX and XLIII Pregame & Halftime Show performer.

Coach Kari has been married for 25 years and has two daughters who both went on to cheer in college. She loves her two chocolate labs and her favorite place to go is the beach. Her favorite memory as an athlete is as a Mercury Hip-Hop Squad dancer and during playoffs Sheryl Miller danced with the team in front of a sellout crowd.