Brookings hires boys soccer, competitive cheer and dance coaches

BROOKINGS — Pending board approval, Brookings High School will have three new head coaches in the 2026-27 school year.

Brookings announced on Monday the hiring of Marcel Thielke in boys soccer, Jazlynn Pederson in competitive cheer and Jaimye Wininger in competitive dance.

Thielke will take over the Bobcat boys’ soccer program and will take over from Reece Weber. He was a player-coach for the SDSU men’s soccer club team and currently coaches for the SoDak Spurs, where he won the SD Youth Soccer Association Competitive Coach of the Year Award.

Thielke is a native of Germany and is currently a billing specialist at Collaborative Solutions in Brookings. He and his wife, Jacqui, have two daughters, Leiana and Mara.

Thielke left Germany as a high school junior and Brookings has been his home since. He said in a press release on Monday that he is excited to give back to his community and is looking forward to having a chance to instill a passion for the sport in his player’s minds for a lifetime of experiences and possibilities. He plans to build his program around integrity, effort and passion.

Jazlynn Pederson is a Brookings alum and will take over the Bobcat competitive cheer squad from Hannah Siemonsma who has moved to Rapid City.

Pederson currently teaches seventh grade reading at Mickelson Middle School and was the Brookings sideline cheer coach this past winter.

In high school, Pederson cheered all four years and was a team captain and White Letter Award winner. She then attended and graduated from Dakota State University. Pederson will teach fifth grade at Camelot next year.

She said in a press release on Monday that she is excited to continue her growth as a teacher and coach in the Bobcat community. She is excited to give back to a program that meant so much to her and looks forward to developing relationships with athletes while pushing them to reach their full potential. Her goal is to build a program where athletes are challenged, held accountable and take pride in their work.

Brookings alum Jaimye Wininger will be the next competitive dance coach for the Bobcats. She will replace Kalya Schlinkert.

Wininger danced for the competitive dance team all four years in high school and was an MVP dancer, a captain and a White Letter Award winner.

Wininger attended and graduated from Florida Atlantic University where she cheered on their squad and took dance classes. She is currently working in Brookings at Wink’s Jewelry and is pursuing her masters in counseling at South Dakota State.

Wininger said that this is truly a full circle moment and is so excited to be back in Brookings, where she looks forward to helping dancers grow not only in their technique, but also in their confidence, discipline and passion for dance. She said her goal is to foster a team culture built on respect, hard work and passion. She hopes to create an environment where every dancer feels valued, challenged and inspired to give their best.

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