News : VS alum Loney focuses on radio, cheerleading coaching careers

Destiny Loney: VS Grad is making strides in radio and cheerleading coaching careers.

Oops: Destiny Loney was so nervous about meeting 'The Bachelor' she put her shirt on backwards.

Some photos of Destiny Loney as a Kirkwood cheerleader and coach.

When Destiny Loney had her first interview with a TV star, she was so nervous she didn't realize until it was too late that she had put her shirt on backwards.

The Vinton-Shellsburg graduate is pursuing two careers, one in radio and one as a cheerleading coach. She was a cheerleader at VS High School before joining the Kirkwood cheerleaders.

Loney returned to Vinton twice in the past month with members of the Z102.9 Radio street crew, promoting the radio station and Dr. Pepper products. She spent a few hours this week in the parking lot of John's Qwik Stop, greeting old friends and passing out promotional materials.

“I am part of the street team,” Loney explains. “We go to different events and try to get people to come on out to where we are – we basically try to be the “face” of the station.”

At such events, local listeners may hear Loney's voice occasionally.

“At the events I do 'breaks' – I will be on air for about a minute to try and get people to come on out to visit us. I have asked to do more on-air and they are currently in the process of finding me an open position. My goal is to be on the radio full-time but it takes time and practice to get there,” she says.

Loney says she has two unique memories of her first few months in radio broadcasting.

First, there was the time she had to go up four flights of stairs on crutches, to attend a meeting.

And then, there was the day she met “The Bachelor.”

“You can't really tell from the photo of me and Chris Soules, but I was so nervous to meet 'The Bachelor' that day that I put my shirt on backwards. I realized it literally within seconds of meeting him and I did not have time to change,” Loney recalls. "I guess that's probably my funniest story so far."

Loney began studying radio and mass communication during her freshman year at Kirkwood, and began working with KSP (Kirkwood Student Productions), a club that creates newscasts.

After taking several classes, Loney reached out to two radio stations, i107.1 and Z102.9. She began interning at 107.1 earlier this year.

“I started my internship in January and it went until may. I worked on voicing commercials, editing commercials and every week I did music changes – I looked at what songs needed to be played more and what needed to be played less and what to add to our music and what to get rid of,” says Loney. “I also did a weekly blog about two new songs we added and had people vote their opinions.”

While at i101.1, Loney also practiced a little on air as well.

“I went to different events to help out, focused on social media plus some other side things,” she recalls.

Shortly thereafter, she began her internship Z102.9

“On my first day on the job, I was in a music video . I have been on 'Schulte and Swann in the Morning' about three times now,” says Loney.

From cheerleading to coaching

After cheerleading all four years at VSHS, Loney went on to Kirkwood, where she made the team which is coached by former VS cheerleading coach Krystal Fitzpatrick.

“I tried out the summer going into my freshman year for varsity football and made it. I cheered varsity football and wrestling for all four years and I did about two years of varsity basketball as well, filling in when needed,” recalls Loney.

At VSHS, she earned many awards, including Most Improved and Most Spirited, and made an All-Star team as a senior.

“I tried out for Kirkwood cheerleading the summer after my senior year and made the squad,” she says. I cheered for the basketball team.”

That year Kirkwood cheerleaders went to compete in Nationals at Cheer Ltd. Nationals at CANAM. “This was the first time ever in school history for our cheer squad to compete at a national level,” Loney recalls. “Unfortunately, for being first timers we did place last but we came home with a trophy and medals.”

A knee injury last season ended Loney's cheerleading career but opened the door for coaching opportunity.

“I wanted to cheer again this year but I knew my knee was done for, so I decided to coach,” she recalls. Loney asked Fitzpatrick is she could help, and the coach accepted the offer, making her a volunteer assistant.

“We just took our cheerleaders to Wisconsin Dells this weekend for the largest cheer camp held by UCA. Our squad came home with four trophies: 7th place in cheer, 7th place in sideline, 7th place overall and most improved. I basically coach the stunting portions of cheerleading. I plan on staying with the season this year as a assistant but hope to find a university to coach at next year.”