Coach Taylor

Taylor Mercado

Taylor Mercado has served as the Head Competition Cheerleading Coach at Warner University since February 2022, bringing over 16 years of coaching, choreography, and judging experience to the Royals program. A native of Georgetown, Massachusetts, Mercado has an extensive background in cheerleading at the local, regional, and national levels, paired with a strong career in education and athletic administration.

Mercado’s coaching and professional experience includes serving as a Spirit Championships Head Scoring Official and Competition Judge (2011–present), a Rehab Coach and Physical Therapist Assistant with Lakeland Regional Health (2015–2020), and coaching roles with All That Sensations All Stars (2014–2016) and Victory Christian Academy (2013–2015). In addition, she worked as a choreographer for cheer and dance programs (2010–2017) and began her career as a Pop Warner coach in Newburyport, MA (2008–2010).

Academically, Mercado holds a B.A. in Elementary Education with Reading and ESOL endorsements (Southeastern University, 2014), an A.S. in Physical Therapy Assisting (North Shore College, 2018), and is pursuing her M.B.A. at Warner University (expected Fall 2025).

Her career is marked by numerous achievements, including being recognized as the National Top Christian Cheer Coach by Christian Cheerleading of America (Spring 2025), serving as President of The Sun Conference Senior Woman Administrator Committee (2024–present), and working as Senior Woman Administrator at Warner University (2023–present). Under her leadership, Warner Cheer earned a third-place finish at the 2025 CCA Championships and made the program’s first-ever appearance at UCA College Nationals in Game Day competition (2025). Prior to Warner, she guided All That All Stars to five first-place titles during the 2015–2016 season.

Mercado holds multiple certifications, including USACheer, USASF, CheerFit Instructor, Character Driven Coaching, CPR, and BLS, and is a licensed educator as well as a certified Physical Therapist Assistant.