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Deleted member 46542
I was a cheerleader a long time ago - 1976-1977 in High School.
The reason I have decided to join the group is to learn if the Cheerleading Squad at our small town High School is as bad as I think it is, or am I just too old fashioned. Probably a little bit of both.
My 17 year old son is on the Varsity Football team this year, so my husband and I are going to the games for the first time since he has been in High School. He has been playing varsity soccer.
I have been to two games and am appalled at the Cheerleading Squad.
Full disclosure - I was captain of our squad in my senior year. That was due mostly to the fact that I liked to organize and plan out our pep rallies, enlist and help paint signs, work with the Boosters on events - you get the idea. I depended on a girl on our squad who really knew football. She had three older brothers - all who played football at Penn State. So she called the cheers for the most part since she knew the game inside and out. She did give us all a course in the referee signals.
We were a very enthusiastic team. We could get the crowd going. We smiled and encouraged participation with our face to the crowd while cheering 75-80% of the time.
Here are my doubts about the squad I am seeing at the games.
1. The Coach is a femalePolice Office assigned to the school and I don't think she has ever been a cheerleader.
Her assistant was a cheerleader, but she does not pay any attention to what the squad is doing, more interested in who is paying attention to her.
2. The Coach is sitting on a Gatorade cooler during the game but barking out cheer suggestions. In fact they have little debates about what cheer to do next! We always had our Offense and Defense "Playlist" set. So when an appropriate cheer was called - we counted off - set - and rocked it. And our Coach was all over us at practice but she had us so tight, she rarely got involved - other than keeping an eye on us. Which leads me to
3. The girls are always chatting between cheers and not watching the game. Only about 20% smile when they are cheering
4. I understand our society is working very hard at not body shaming. But I stop letting a bigger person slide when their weight is clearly threatening their heart health. There is a difference between being round and curvy but healthy and being obese. There are two girls on cheer that are at least 60 pounds over a healthy weight.
7. 75% of the cheers/chants end on a down beat. It;s hard to describe inwrapping - "PUSH 'EM BACK,SHOVE 'EM BACK, way back."
40 yard line to the 30 to the 20 to the 10 until you make that goal line.
There is no enthusiasm!
8. When a player got injured it took so long for all of the players to get on one knee. And the girls weren't even paying attention while the trainers and a doctor were out on the field.
9. They don't stop cheering when a penalty flag is thrown on the play. We always did.
10. And the worst was when out team was down about 34 to 10, thee was one minute 30 seconds left in the game and they start a Cheer that went: P.O.W. POW we will win - and how" cheer.
I feel like volunteering to help out. Or have a chat with their Coach. She and I have spoken before, during a wrestling match. It was casual, but nice.
I welcome your input!
The reason I have decided to join the group is to learn if the Cheerleading Squad at our small town High School is as bad as I think it is, or am I just too old fashioned. Probably a little bit of both.
My 17 year old son is on the Varsity Football team this year, so my husband and I are going to the games for the first time since he has been in High School. He has been playing varsity soccer.
I have been to two games and am appalled at the Cheerleading Squad.
Full disclosure - I was captain of our squad in my senior year. That was due mostly to the fact that I liked to organize and plan out our pep rallies, enlist and help paint signs, work with the Boosters on events - you get the idea. I depended on a girl on our squad who really knew football. She had three older brothers - all who played football at Penn State. So she called the cheers for the most part since she knew the game inside and out. She did give us all a course in the referee signals.
We were a very enthusiastic team. We could get the crowd going. We smiled and encouraged participation with our face to the crowd while cheering 75-80% of the time.
Here are my doubts about the squad I am seeing at the games.
1. The Coach is a femalePolice Office assigned to the school and I don't think she has ever been a cheerleader.
Her assistant was a cheerleader, but she does not pay any attention to what the squad is doing, more interested in who is paying attention to her.
2. The Coach is sitting on a Gatorade cooler during the game but barking out cheer suggestions. In fact they have little debates about what cheer to do next! We always had our Offense and Defense "Playlist" set. So when an appropriate cheer was called - we counted off - set - and rocked it. And our Coach was all over us at practice but she had us so tight, she rarely got involved - other than keeping an eye on us. Which leads me to
3. The girls are always chatting between cheers and not watching the game. Only about 20% smile when they are cheering
4. I understand our society is working very hard at not body shaming. But I stop letting a bigger person slide when their weight is clearly threatening their heart health. There is a difference between being round and curvy but healthy and being obese. There are two girls on cheer that are at least 60 pounds over a healthy weight.
7. 75% of the cheers/chants end on a down beat. It;s hard to describe inwrapping - "PUSH 'EM BACK,SHOVE 'EM BACK, way back."
40 yard line to the 30 to the 20 to the 10 until you make that goal line.
There is no enthusiasm!
8. When a player got injured it took so long for all of the players to get on one knee. And the girls weren't even paying attention while the trainers and a doctor were out on the field.
9. They don't stop cheering when a penalty flag is thrown on the play. We always did.
10. And the worst was when out team was down about 34 to 10, thee was one minute 30 seconds left in the game and they start a Cheer that went: P.O.W. POW we will win - and how" cheer.
I feel like volunteering to help out. Or have a chat with their Coach. She and I have spoken before, during a wrestling match. It was casual, but nice.
I welcome your input!
