Cheerleading Forever!

Growing up in the South, I’m no stranger to four wheelers and a little dirt! I’ve been stranded in a field of bulls at midnight and have even flipped one a time or two. However, nothing I have experienced on any Polaris would equate to my off road adventure thru the desert in Arizona.

After scouring several internet sites for “quad adventures,” I landed on the site that allowed you to “roam free” on their four wheelers. Nothing like turning loose a group of potential non-experienced riders to experience the desert alone! After signing my life away, our group was given our gear – Fox goggles and a bonafide motocross helmet! If any of us didn’t know how to ride, at least we looked like it! The only exception to this might have been the father of two of the riders who thought Velcro white tennis shoes and tight jeans were appropriate riding clothes!

After we were led down a dirt road, we arrived at a stopping point and were told, “See you back here in three hours!” Just like that…”here’s the desert, you have your water, have fun!” So…off we went and ripped through the desert paths and mountainous bases in 4^th and 5^th gear at speeds of 35 mph. Having never really experienced the desert, I felt like I was at Disney’s Big Thunder Railroad or in a Wild West movie scene….only the cacti were real and the sun was a huge obstacle at times. I now understand the reference to “sun devil” because when the sun shines off the sand that is kicked up, you are completely unaware of anything in front of you – no visibility whatsoever! The blinding sun almost caused a severe accident when I didn’t see the fork in the path and stopped about a foot short of careening over a very steep cliff that would have certainly sent me to the emergency room. This is in addition to the 80 degree vertical climb that I made in 1^st gear and the alternate descent on the other side that had me preparing to bail off the quad at any moment. This is really the only part of the ride where I thought to myself, “You have no business being out here!”

At the base of the mountain, we came to a beautiful river that took me right out of adventure mode and straight to tourist mode…snapping pictures for a good 15 minutes. Why not test the limits of my four wheeler against the power of Mother Nature? These things are made to go in the water so why not give it a whirl? The answer to this question would be because your quad will then stall, your quarter panel will float away downstream and you will be stranded with a waterlogged machine that will only power to idle! Not to mention the disapproving stares of the rest of the group when two people return on one four wheeler. Like they didn’t enjoy the extra free hour back down the mountain where the crew had to literally tip my ride upside down to drain the water!

Like nothing had happened, my quad and I (although both of us a little beaten and weathered), made it back to base camp and sheepishly parked behind the trailer. So she wouldn’t start up again…maybe she just needed a little rest? I expected to get a little heat from the owner but he looked right at my dirty face and said, “I’ve had to ride up and down the mountains for some of the girls we’ve had out here! You’re pretty good…for a girl!” Story of my life!

In the ever popular world of athletic apparel, it is perfectly normal to see the names of teams, schools or mascots written across the backside of cheer shorts. In the cheerleading community, it is not unusual to even see these names printed on the backs of bloomers. So why did a high school team in California get suspended by administration for their surprise conclusion to a cheer routine that spelled out the school mascot on the backs of their bloomers?

The location of the letters I-N-D-I-A-N-S on the behinds of Ripon Valley High’s bloomers created a media whirlwind in the Sacramento suburb. The vice principal suspended the team, with mixed reviews, for two days after seeing the unapproved ending. He felt that the move was too suggestive and that it went against school board policy. Although many cheerleaders agreed that it perhaps wasn’t appropriate, many felt the punishment did not fit the crime. Other students and parents felt that the VP made the right decision. Was it poor judgment on the part of the cheerleaders? Sure. Did it warrant a suspension that will now be included on the college application process? I don’t think so. I would hate to think that a college admission would be contingent over the ill-fated placement of the letter “I” on the backside of someone’s bloomers.

This is a rather mundane incident amongst the several that I have seen or heard about on the news. Several years ago, Texas lawmakers attempted to pass a bill that reduced funding to schools who displayed sexually suggestive cheer routines. The San Jose State University Dance Team appeared in the national spotlight after getting suspended for the remainder of the year after performing a routine that was deemed inappropriate. Hip thrusting and “horizontal dance moves” on the floor are unfortunately all too common in all ages of cheer. Many cheer and dance teams are inspired by music videos and incorporate the exact choreography from the video directly into the cheer routine. As a former dance coach, I remember girls coming to practice with Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back” video choreography perfected down to the eight-count. I am guilty of watching NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” at least 50 times to copy the boy band moves (although not suggestive I might add.) However, I also recall my mother pulling me from my fourth grade jazz class after our teacher wanted to use the slightly suggestive song “Mercedes Boy” for our recital. Although brutally embarrassing then, I now applaud her decision to not include her daughter in a somewhat evocative routine.

What is the feeling in the cheer community regarding these routines? Am I showing my age when I say that I am saddened that girls feel the need to be “cool” by continuing to test the limits of suggestive dancing? Do we need stricter rules and definitions of dance moves to clearly spell out what is and is not appropriate? Or do I need to Ti-Vo the latest Ciara or Huey video and practice my “Pop, lock and drop it?

Over my years I have seen a lot of good and bad in cheerleading. I’ve seen horrible spills, fantastic spins, jumps, and landings, as well as both positive and negative behavior that affects one’s cheer ability. Now I feel it’s imperative for me to show you the best ways to make sure you make the team you want to be on. Surprisingly to some, athletic ability is not the major attribute of a successful cheerleader. Positive mental attitude, a good look all mold the perfect cheer(excuse the Will Ferrell SNL reference). Here are five ways to ensure you make the team!!

1. Confidence Breeds Success- Be proud of your abilities as a cheerleaders and be confident in every move that you make. When a difficult stunt is thrown at you, be confident that you are the right person for the job and that you can complete the task at hand. Make sure you talk the talk and cheer the cheer.

2. Smile!!- No one wants to see a sad cheerleader. That’s why the word cheer is in the word, ok maybe not but smiling is key to putting the crowd in a good mood. Also make sure your smile is genuine. Don’t over-do it and make sure it’s relaxed so that you can prove to the judges that you truly love what you’re doing and not just faking it.

3. If You Don’t Stick the Landing…Keep Going!- Just because a landing didn’t go as planned and everything didn’t turn out perfect doesn’t mean you should just give up. Judges like to see perseverance in a cheerleader and seeing that you can overcome a mistake and still put on an awesome performance says a lot about your character.

4. Ask Questions- Don’t be shy or embarrased that you don’t fully understand a routine or what is going on in a tryout. Make sure you make yourself heard and fully comprehend what is going on. If you don’t you will look lost and confused and more embarrassed than if you asked the question.

5. Stand Out!!- Make sure the judges and instructors can see just who you are and how good you are. Don’t fade in the back where you’re best moves won’t be showcased. It doesn’t matter if you make some mistakes that probably wouldn’t be seen in the back, instructors are looking for cheerers who show that character that they love to be seen and perform well in the spotlight.

So there you go, my tips on being the best you can be. So now, go out there with the right positive mental attitude, proper physical shape, and perform you’re best!

By Sean Connolly

Who could think of a better job assignment for a former cheerleader and beach bunny than to attend the NCA Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida? Kudos to NCA for combining college cheer, a great venue on the beach and tanning!

Driving down A1A, I was afraid that I would somehow miss the hotel or venue and get lost amongst a sea of tacky t-shirt shops or biker gear stores. Those fears were quickly replaced with a rush of excitement as I rounded the corner to see hundreds of uniformed cheerleaders on both sides of the street! The USC Game Cocks flag was in full display as South Carolina’s team proudly cheered on their school while crossing the street. Reigning champs, University of Louisville, waved their flag in the grassy practice area on the other side of the street as their co-ed team pulled out some impressive stunting routines. Post continues below slide show>

I attended this event to meet the Clemson co-ed team and quickly founded them cheering in their tiger sports bras and bright orange shorts out in front of the ocean. It was hard to miss their oversized purple flag and the team of supportive parents sporting the Clemson cheer t-shirts! The Tigers were excited to compete but were also tired from a morning of practice and tumbling in the Florida sun. I was most impressed to meet Dipali Patel, the youngest coach of a D1 collegiate cheer team, who at only two years older than a good portion of the cheerleaders, commanded respect and authority from the team! At all of 5ft tall and a size 00 (way to rub it in), she was hard to see but her voice could not be mistaken! Clemson ended up finishinfourth overall but certainly made their presence known!!!

The cheer practice and intimidation sessions were the most fun to watch!! Teams would gather in the grass before the preliminary event to warm up their routines and practice stunts..some of which were not legal in the competition but completely legal when trying to upstage another team! I have to give credit to Hawaii Pacific University and Stephen F Austin University out of Texas who put on quite a stunting show. I also vote these two teams “BEST CHEER ABS!” I don’t think I have ever seen more ripped stomachs on young girls than I did at this event! Certainly makes me want to hit the gym a little harder! It also made me want to start tumbling again!

After spending the day at this event, I had some final thoughts and some mental awards I wanted to present……Cheerleading has come such a long way in the last 10-15 years! When I was in high school in the late 90′s, college cheer requirements were basically a height requirement of under 5’5″ and the ability to do a standing back tuck! We didn’t have too many cheer gyms around and all star teams were just getting started! Now, kids are doing standing fulls and working out at cheer and dance centers after class. I’ve seen tumbling passes that could easily place these kids on the gymnastics team rather than the cheer team. Many of the male cheerleaders I met were former football players who found it easier to obtain a cheer scholarship than a football scholarship but said that the intensity of how they perfromed did not change. I met one girl who was both on the soccer and cheer teams for Clemson! To anyone who thinks that cheerleading is not a sport, I would invite you to attend any of these events and see the athletic ability on display!

Now to the awards….
1. Best hair and tan – Oklahoma State University
2. Most in need of a little color splash – Georgia Tech (too much white and maybe in need of a little Florida sun)
3. Best abs – Hawaii Pacific University
4. Most unique practice uniforms – SFA University. Red and purple ripped up sports bras and a guy in a plaid Paul Bunyan shirt with chops!
5. Most in need of a more appropriate war chant – USC Game Cocks (some felt perhaps a bit too crude.)
6. Most parents in team shirts – Radford University
7. Loudest team – Louisville (reigning champs..they had a reputation to protect)
8. Most creative use of music – University of Maryland (Turtle Power, Hannah Montana, Super Hero theme)
9. “Where is that college?” award – Azuza Pacific University
10. Best dance team intro – UNC Chapel Hill