can't they just keep the cheerleading squad on as a sport for competitions and the like... then have a spirit squad for games? i mean, i don't know the logistics, and keeping the skimpy uniforms seems a little shady... but it makes sense. i was a gymnast who kind of fell into cheerleading because i could flip around. i hated it. i hated games. i felt absolutely humiliated the entire time i sat there in front of the crowd. competitions, however, gave me the opportunity to keep up my athleticism.
they should have a spirit squad for games that wears athletic pants and t-shirts reminiscent of what the sports teams wear. like the warm ups. they should be comfortable if they are supposed to run around and make people happy.
anyway, i don't think it is antifeminist to want your cheerleaders to cheer... it's just that it's not a sport to cheer on a crowd. there is still room for a separate entity that is the sport of cheerleading (including stunts and such) and anybody who wants to do both should be encouraged.
I'm so confused. Why doesn't UConn just have a pep squad to hand out buttons if it feels like the fans need something to wave? To me, good athletics IS school spirit. I don't need anyone to get me excited about Longhorns Football; The Longhorns Football Team gets me excited about Longhorns Football. Amazing, athletic cheerleaders are worth cheering for. I'm not concerned about whether they're helping me cheer for someone else.
This is such a bummer. I've always had conflicted feelings about cheerleading, and this doesn't help. My sister was a cheerleader for four years, so I know all of the crazy hard work that goes into being a good one. But at the same time, I always thought it was sad that they would be relegated to sideshow status when they were so awesome and athletic and fun to watch. It's like all of the leftover sexist bullcrap gets mushed in with all of the post-Title IX badassery. It always made me sad.
It would be nice for more people to recognize cheerleading as a sport/demanding physical activity in and of itself.
This is the same school which a few years ago, when the women won the National Championship in basketball and the men did not, printed bumper stickers that said, "UCONN: where men are men and women are CHAMPIONS!"
This incenses me quite a bit more than it should, I suspect, but holy moses would I be pissed if I'd been a UConn cheerleader. Honestly, part of the reason I went to the (tiny Division III) college I went to was to cheer. And yeah, I have gymnastics ability and was on both teams in high school. And yeah I danced competitively and was in the Nutcracker every year. Neither of those things, separately, compared to the fucking awesomeness of cheerleading. Also, we were an all girls team (and my law school, an SEC school, had both an all girls team AND a coed team), and we had some AMAZING women who could toss stunts like nobody's business. Our back-tuck baskets might not have been quite as high as those thrown by four dudes, but they were high enough to get the job done.
While I agree with everyone else that cheerleading requires solid athletic ability . . . cheering, clapping, and throwing t-shirts really doesn't. They should have been able to handle both. And if the "cheerleaders" weren't willing to do the latter--which is pretty clearly a part of their "job description," given that it's . . . in the name--they shouldn't have been surprised that they were axed.
Ultimately, though, it probably comes down to money. The Spirit Squad? Gets the crowd into it for the few sports the school can actually make money off of, costs next to nothing, does not require insurance, doesn't travel anywhere the football and basketball teams aren't already heading. Cheerleaders? Require extensive insurance, competitions cost money and don't make it back by drawing fans like sports events do, may have to offer scholarships, etc. And maybe someone knows more about this than I do, but if the cheerleading squad has no men on it this year, it might have to count as a "women's squad" rather than a co-ed one for Title IX purposes, which might force the university to make budget cuts on other teams. If the "Spirit Squad" is co-ed and/or not considered an athletic team, it wouldn't affect Title IX.
@nora charles: good point. Do cheerleaders bring in money? I can't imagine that division championships offer prizes that come close to the kind of dough college football rakes in. I also refuse to consider "cheerleader calendars" or other gimmicky shit.
@eri401: No team brings in the money college football does. That's why there's an exemption in Title IX rules for football (i.e., the number of women on sports teams has to be comparable to the number of men on teams other than football). Moreover, women's basketball, for example, doesn't bring in anything close to men's. At the end of the day, at a big school, the football team and men's basketball teams subsidize all the other teams, male and female. There are a couple exceptions - the University of Portland women's soccer team, for example, is its biggest money-maker - but for the most part football and men's basketball are the sole earners in D1 sports programs.
@nora charles: Cheerleading isn't an NCAA sport and never has been. The NCAA doesn't run its competitions or regulate its tryouts, budgets, practice schedules, etc. We fundraised for our uniforms at my college and paid out of pocket for the remainder. I'm not sure how it's done at bigger schools, but I suspect even at schools like Kentucky, where they give scholarships to cheerleaders, there are still expenses the walk ons pay out of pocket, unlike a walk on who makes the football team and then gets his uniform, shoes, etc, provided for him.
LAME. I went to a ton of UCONN events when I was in CT and their cheerleading squad was always very impressive. The worst part was when they tried to lead the audience in cheers-- the best when they did a routine at half-time.
They cannot has BOTH a Spirit Squad and a Cheer Squad? My high school in Texas had a powerhouse cheer squad that won nationals almost every year, and they also had a spirit squad that put together the run through signs, did cheers while the girls were stunting, etc. It worked fine. My podunk town PAC-10 school's next door neighbor/Sarah Palin's alma mater even managed to have a Spirit Squad and a Cheer Squad.
@quatrevingtquatre: That was my high school in Utah, too. Kick-ass cheerleading squad that won championships and shit, and then we had the pep club for the spirit-y type stuff. There is no reason why they can't do both.
@quatrevingtquatre: That was my thought too! Seriously, a "spirit squad" is gonna cost them nary a dime (and I'm sure that they'll be forced to do their own fundraising) and get all that spirit stuff accomplished perfectly fine and I'm sure at a big school like that will have plenty of people willing to do the job.
Plus, I've always found the highlight of these big school games to be the cheerleading squads impressive routines and I'm sure a lot of other sports fans agree.
@Penny_Esq: Those are words you will never see said by me. I vehemently do not want the Cougs to "go." But I don't think that'll be a problem this year. ;)
Uh...cheerleading absolutely is a sport that requires, guess what - athletic ability. If you want to get the crowd more involved, create a separate Spirit Squad to give out stuff at the tailgating stuff, hurl t-shirts to the crowd.
I was never a cheerleader but I was in marching band and was a drum major. People tend to stereotype both of these groups and, depending on your particular program, it is something that can be taken very, very seriously. (See: DCI - Drum Corps International)
People that don't see the athleticism that goes into both activities are fooling themselves. The stunts and level of skill that goes into high-level cheerleading can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing or aren't trained well to do it. They've worked hard to do this - they should let them do it. Put another group together to get the crowd riled up.
@shorty63136: YES. Someone downthread talked about not missing the "sideshows" at her college football games, but I think the cheerleaders and the band make a HUGE difference. Try telling the guy who's supposed to dot the I in Script Ohio that the BDBITL is a frivolous and unnecessary sideshow.
I WAS NOT A SIDESHOW, DAMMIT. I was a cheerleader. I did two-a-days just like the football team in college. And I consider my ACL scar a badge of honor. (Also, my treatment and surgery weren't paid for by my college. I'm sure we were covered by some kind of liability policy, but it didn't come into play with my injury.)
I was on the line for a while in HS, and loved it, but got out. Still miss the snare. My parents got to see the Blue Devils a few months ago and I was sojealous.
@Penny_Esq: Seriously. I've done more push ups with a bass drum on my back and sprinted across a field IN STEP with music more times than I can count. Also, most people can't even hold their arms in front of them for 1 minute - try conducting 4 songs on field and numerous others in the stands without your arms falling off.
I wonder how much of this situation also has to do with liability. Cheerleading can be really dangerous and there are a ton of lawsuits from the injuries. I had friends who were professional athletes (gymnasts, ice skaters, etc.) who has major injuries including broken necks, backs, noses, etc. They were amazing and trained, but it was the other less trained girls who dropped them, etc.
@stacyinbean: Football players get to wear lots of padding and helmets, so they get some protection. If a cheerleader falls from during a stunt, it's her ass/head/whatever that gets to break the fall. :-0
@dj_chick: I have read that all that padding etc. can actually make sports (like football and hockey) more dangerous, because the impact is a lot greater and the surface a lot harder than just a human body slamming against another human body.
Though that doesn't help a cheerleader if she's been tossed ten feet in the air.
Women can base stunts too, ya'know! At my stereotypically suburban high school guys would rather be caught dead than be a cheerleader. Our all girl squad still could throw em' and catch em' fine with out the boys. As a former base I'm saddened to see a "spirit squad" rather than cheerleaders.
Edit: what was that cheer in bring it on about not having a gymnastics team so she joined the cheerleading squad?
@flaxen_vixen: Another base here! This is one of the reasons that I think modern cheerleading is empowering to teen girls rather than degrading. I feel like such a badass when I successfully base a complicated stunt. It encourages trust and teamwork, and it helps you believe in your own strength.
@HighSchoolFearleader: I did both, as did most of the women on my high school and college teams. It just depended on the stunts. There was one girl on my college team who could do toss extensions - freaking AMAZING.
@HighSchoolFearleader: Absolutely, I was a freaking powerhouse back in my cheerleading days. I didn't know many other people who could hold a girl over head in a scorpion damn it! Cheerleaders get no respect as athletes but then they're taking away the athletic requirements for it? WTF?
@flaxen_vixen: Women bases were the only reason I ever even considered cheering (I didn't end up doing it, since my ballet teacher would have murdered me). I was sure I was too big to be a flier, but my friend claimed that I was the perfect size to be a base, so I was really excited. If it were only men being bases, I would have been (potentially) sized-out of the American pasttime!
"In related news, a lot of guys interested in the football team were discouraged at tryouts because it required "physical skill." Therefore, the university is cutting the football team and replacing it with the Steve Madden Football video game. It is hoped that people who might not otherwise have tried out will come find a place on the team."
Here's an idea, UConn, treat the cheer squad like the athletic team they are, and get other students to sing cheers and throw out t-shirts.
@stacyinbean: You know what? I don't want to be an asshole. Sorry if I was being shitty. I can't believe that of all the posts on Jezebel the one that has gotten me the most heated was about cheerleading!
What's even funnier, is that my roomie my sophomore year was a cheerleader and I adore her. And I was going to say, "I'm not stereotyping because one of my best friend is a cheerleader" and then I thought that was lame-o. Hugs. Sorry if I upset anyone.
@Ruby_de_la_Booby: And how would you feel if someone said to you, "it's really hard for me to gather up any sympathy for volleyball, basketball, and softball players"? The fact that you felt the need to tell me that not only did you play all three sports but that you were on varsity for all of them means you use aspects of those to form your identity. Well, many cheerleaders do too. So it's shitty when we're constantly made to defend ourselves simply because of the sport we love.
(says the woman who actually quit the team in the beginning of my senior year because I decided I was over it. But dammit, I was the 6th person in the history of my school to make varsity as a freshman!
08/27/09
they should have a spirit squad for games that wears athletic pants and t-shirts reminiscent of what the sports teams wear. like the warm ups. they should be comfortable if they are supposed to run around and make people happy.
anyway, i don't think it is antifeminist to want your cheerleaders to cheer... it's just that it's not a sport to cheer on a crowd. there is still room for a separate entity that is the sport of cheerleading (including stunts and such) and anybody who wants to do both should be encouraged.
the end.
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08/27/09
It would be nice for more people to recognize cheerleading as a sport/demanding physical activity in and of itself.
08/27/09
08/27/09
This is the same school which a few years ago, when the women won the National Championship in basketball and the men did not, printed bumper stickers that said, "UCONN: where men are men and women are CHAMPIONS!"
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08/27/09
Our women are multi-champions!
08/27/09
There were other solutions, UConn. Boo.
08/27/09
Ultimately, though, it probably comes down to money. The Spirit Squad? Gets the crowd into it for the few sports the school can actually make money off of, costs next to nothing, does not require insurance, doesn't travel anywhere the football and basketball teams aren't already heading. Cheerleaders? Require extensive insurance, competitions cost money and don't make it back by drawing fans like sports events do, may have to offer scholarships, etc. And maybe someone knows more about this than I do, but if the cheerleading squad has no men on it this year, it might have to count as a "women's squad" rather than a co-ed one for Title IX purposes, which might force the university to make budget cuts on other teams. If the "Spirit Squad" is co-ed and/or not considered an athletic team, it wouldn't affect Title IX.
08/27/09
08/27/09
@nora charles: Cheerleading isn't an NCAA sport and never has been. The NCAA doesn't run its competitions or regulate its tryouts, budgets, practice schedules, etc. We fundraised for our uniforms at my college and paid out of pocket for the remainder. I'm not sure how it's done at bigger schools, but I suspect even at schools like Kentucky, where they give scholarships to cheerleaders, there are still expenses the walk ons pay out of pocket, unlike a walk on who makes the football team and then gets his uniform, shoes, etc, provided for him.
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C'mon UCONN!
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Plus, I've always found the highlight of these big school games to be the cheerleading squads impressive routines and I'm sure a lot of other sports fans agree.
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08/27/09
I was never a cheerleader but I was in marching band and was a drum major. People tend to stereotype both of these groups and, depending on your particular program, it is something that can be taken very, very seriously. (See: DCI - Drum Corps International)
People that don't see the athleticism that goes into both activities are fooling themselves. The stunts and level of skill that goes into high-level cheerleading can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing or aren't trained well to do it. They've worked hard to do this - they should let them do it. Put another group together to get the crowd riled up.
08/27/09
I WAS NOT A SIDESHOW, DAMMIT. I was a cheerleader. I did two-a-days just like the football team in college. And I consider my ACL scar a badge of honor. (Also, my treatment and surgery weren't paid for by my college. I'm sure we were covered by some kind of liability policy, but it didn't come into play with my injury.)
08/27/09
I was on the line for a while in HS, and loved it, but got out. Still miss the snare. My parents got to see the Blue Devils a few months ago and I was sojealous.
08/27/09
Cheerleaders and marching band FTW!
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Though that doesn't help a cheerleader if she's been tossed ten feet in the air.
08/27/09
Edit: what was that cheer in bring it on about not having a gymnastics team so she joined the cheerleading squad?
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Here's an idea, UConn, treat the cheer squad like the athletic team they are, and get other students to sing cheers and throw out t-shirts.
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What's even funnier, is that my roomie my sophomore year was a cheerleader and I adore her. And I was going to say, "I'm not stereotyping because one of my best friend is a cheerleader" and then I thought that was lame-o. Hugs. Sorry if I upset anyone.
08/28/09
(says the woman who actually quit the team in the beginning of my senior year because I decided I was over it. But dammit, I was the 6th person in the history of my school to make varsity as a freshman!