Whether she is leading championship squads or establishing community support programs, Newtown High School cheerleading coach Susan Bridges has made a tremendous impact on more than the cheerleaders and their families.

For her efforts and success, Bridges has been selected to the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) Hall of Fame, which honors standout coaches from all over the state. Bridges and other honorees were recognized at the UConn-Syracuse football game at Rentschler Field on October 3. The CHSCA Hall of Fame Banquet will be held on Sunday, May 23, 2027, at Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. Bridges is only the third cheerleading coach to be selected in the 49-year history of the Hall of Fame.

"It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to serve not only as a coach, but as a leader within the Nighthawk community," said Bridges, who is in her 19th year coaching the Nighthawks.

Under her leadership, the Nighthawks have won eight South-West Conference Championships (2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025, and 2026), the Class LL State Championship in 2020, and back-to-back Class L State Championships in 2025 and 2026. The team was also named Team of the Year in 2023 and earned the New England Class Division II Championship in 2025.

Bridges was named CHSCA Coach of the Year in 2018 and has helped 14 athletes continue their cheerleading careers at Division I schools. Her athletes have earned countless All-League, All-State, and All-Academic honors, and two NHS cheerleaders have been recognized by CHSCA as Cheerleader of the Year.

Bridges has been actively involved in the development of cheerleading across Connecticut. She served as the CHSCA cheerleading representative for Class LL from 2016-2019, served on the score sheet committee for six years, and has been an SWC co-chair since 2015.

"Coaching has given me the opportunity to be involved in so much more than cheerleading at NHS. I’m grateful to our school and athletic department leadership for supporting my ideas and allowing me the opportunity to get involved, try new things, and make a difference in other areas of our school and community," she said.

There are numerous things Bridges has done within and outside the cheer community to promote the sport, support special needs athletes, and give back to those in need.

"I am so happy for Sue. It is such a wonderful honor that very few Newtown coaches have ever received. She is such an incredible coach and she certainly deserves this outstanding recognition. NHS cheerleading teams have won many championships but her greatest achievement is the relationship she creates with all of the cheerleaders on her teams," said Gregg Simon, who served as NHS athletic director back when Bridges started coaching with the Nighthawks, and who now is the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference's associate executive director.

Unified Sports And Week Of Giving

Bridges created the NHS Spirit Squad under the Unified Sports umbrella in 2013. The Spirit Squad features special needs athletes who have a chance to learn cheer stunts under the direction of the varsity cheer team members. They perform at the conference championships and other times throughout the season.

"Unified Sports holds a special place in my heart. It all started with Danielle Mola, whom I had the privilege of coaching for five years in our youth cheer program. I wanted to find a way for Dani and her friends to continue those special relationships when they reached high school. That idea led to the creation of our Unified Sports Spirit Team. The team cheered at basketball games and competed at local cheer competitions," Bridges said.

"Her teams created a wonderful environment of inclusion," said Simon, adding that it was special to see the bond between all of these student-athletes.

That same year, with the support of Simon, along with Kathy Davey, NHS launched Unified Basketball, known then as the Blue Blaze.

"What started with one idea has grown into a thriving, year-round Unified Sports program at Newtown High School, offering basketball, soccer, track and field, and flag football. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch the program grow and see students of all abilities come together, build friendships, support one another, and experience the joy of being part of a team. Knowing that an idea inspired by one student has grown into something that touches so many lives has been one of the most meaningful accomplishments of my coaching career," Bridges said.

To foster a spirit of giving and community responsibility, in the spring of 2025 Bridges created Nighthawks Week of Giving. This initiative involved all spring sport teams and challenged them to collect non-perishable food items for the local food pantry. "Because of their efforts, we were able to collect and donate an impressive amount of food and supplies — three carloads — to help families in need. Our commitment to giving back embodies the spirit of the Nighthawk community," Bridges said. "The volunteers at FAITH Food Pantry were so incredibly and honestly thankful for each and every donation."

Hawk Bites And Book A Nighthawk

Even when it comes to ensuring that the Nighthawk athletes have the nourishment they need, Bridges is involved through a program called Hawk Bites, which gives athletes who may be at the school from morning through dinnertime some healthy afternoon food options through food service company Chartwells.

"Hawk Bites was a longtime dream of mine — to create a program that provides student-athletes with access to nutritious snacks before practices and games. Recognizing that our students spend long days in school and often head directly to their athletic commitments without proper nutrition, I wanted to find a way to help them fuel their bodies and perform at their best. With the support of Athletic Director Matt Memoli, who brought the idea to the right people to make it a reality, Hawk Bites was born," Bridges said. "This initiative reflects my commitment to supporting the health, well-being, and success of our student-athletes beyond the playing field.”

Getting cheerleaders into classrooms through a program called Book a Nighthawk is another initiative that has helped bring the team into the community.

"Book a Nighthawk was inspired by my daughter, who is an elementary school teacher and often asks family and friends to come into her classroom to read to her students. It got me thinking about how much our elementary students would love having our own Nighthawk athletes visit their classrooms," Bridges said of Madeline, a kindergarten teacher at Westover Magnet Elementary School in Stamford. "I thought it would be a great opportunity for our athletes to give back in a simple but meaningful way. Through the program, our student-athletes visit classrooms, read to the children, and spend time getting to know them. I knew the younger students would be excited to meet our athletes, hear about their sports, and spend time with high school students they could look up to. It’s a great way to bring our schools closer together while showing our athletes that making a difference in the community can happen in the simplest ways."

"She has been doing this for such a long time and her expectations of the girls in the program are so high — they've never wavered," Memoli said. "It's very good she's been recognized for everything she's done."

Supporting NHS Athletics

Each week, Bridges provides athletic highlights for the Superintendent’s Newsletter, ensuring the NHS community stays informed and engaged. By spotlighting student-athletes, team achievements, and upcoming events, Bridges helps celebrate the dedication and success of Newtown High programs while fostering school pride across the district.

In addition to coaching, Bridges has proudly served on key hiring committees at NHS, helping to select important leadership roles such as athletic director and coaching positions in varsity boys' basketball, varsity girls' soccer, and varsity softball. Bridges leads multiple community service events with her team throughout the year and has directed a youth cheer camp for 18 consecutive years — instilling school spirit and mentoring young athletes. Even during the offseason, the cheer coach remains active in the athletic program by overseeing statistics for the varsity girls' lacrosse team.

Bridges gets plenty of praise from peers, including assistant coaches — one of whom she coached years ago and another who has been at her side for more than a decade.

"Sue was my head coach in youth and helped me develop a love for cheerleading so it’s really special to now coach and learn alongside her. I’ve seen the impact she has had on the program at Newtown High School. Since taking over as head coach, she has helped turn cheerleading into a respected sport while making sure the talent and hard work of our athletes shine," said Elie Mouchantat, an assistant coach who works alongside Bridges to help lead the cheer team.

"Susan is one of the most selfless people I know. She gives countless hours of her personal time to our program. She treats every one of our girls like family even when it means sacrificing time with her own. What makes her impact so special is that it doesn't end when an athlete graduates," added Caitlin Delohery. "Year after year, our alumni return to tell Susan how much she influenced them in a positive way. That is the true measure of a coach. I am so proud to have spent these 13 years by her side."

Bridges has enjoyed the practices, competitions, and of course the championships. Most of all, however, Bridges is most fond of the connections she has made and the opportunities to make a difference off the cheer mats.

"When I look back on my years at Newtown, I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve built, the opportunities I’ve helped create for our student-athletes, and the ways we’ve been able to give back to our community. Coaching has always been about more than wins and championships. It’s about the kids, the experiences we share, and the difference we can make along the way," Bridges said.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.