Classmate Interview:
Wearing big bows, a pound of glitter and tight skirts is a normal day for Joy Barber.
Joy Barber always knew that she would be a cheerleader in college. Since the age of 7 she has cheered competitively. At a young age Joy started cheering, unfortunately as a freshman in high school her dream was almost destroyed. After tearing her ACL Joy used her injury as motivation.
Due to her motivation she is now a cheerleader at the University of Colorado. Joy is currently a sophomore working on a broadcasting major and pre-law requirement. Here at the university cheering is only volunteer, and the girls’ get no help. Joy practices between 2-3 hours a day, 5-7 times a week, which doesn’t include games. They have to pay for everything themselves: travel, camps and college.
“The cheerleaders at CU are one of the most dedicated athletes and need to be rewarded.” Says Joy Barber
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Joy like many others goes to CU as a student athlete and just because athlete doesn’t come first to them, doesn’t mean that they don’t deserves the recognition all the other teams get.
Joy couldn’t image her life without cheer.
“We are ambassador for the university,” says Joy.
The cheer team is always there to support our men and women’s sport, so why is the University not supporting them? Even though cheer at other schools is not seem as a sport doesn’t mean that our cheer team is not a sport either.
Joy and her teammates put in long hours for the enjoyment of the sport and their own passion. Joy has a strong passion for the sport, which keeps her pushing through the hard days. She has hope that cheer will be seen as a sport in the near
In 1898, during a football game at the University of Minnesota, a young medical student by the name of Johnny Campbell armed only with a microphone was able to incite his classmates into joining him into a rowdy chorus in an effort to energize their team while demoralizing the opposing team. He went on to create a small team of “yell leaders” that would yell, sing, and dance to show appreciation to their favorite team. This act is attributed as the beginning of modern cheerleading which is now a part of every professional team, university, and high school in the country. The historical role of cheerleaders is to provide direction to crowds during sporting events leading in cheers, chants, and yells that serve to provide motivation to the athletes
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are one the most profound and well known NFL cheer teams today. They choose from the top dancers in the country to take in for their summer training and then 9 girls are eliminated and they are left with 37 of the countries best dancers to be a DCC. When you watch these young ladies your breathe just gets sucked right out of you and you have a loss of words. No wonder these girls are the top team and the most well known team in the country. These girls go through so many obstacles and long paths to become a DCC, but they said they would do it over and over again because there is no greater
Cheerleading goes beyond shaking poms and chanting cheers on the sidelines of a football or basketball game. In similarity to every other sport, with it come sprains, breaks, and severe injuries. In my mindset I was too well trained
Now that August is here, the football jerseys are out of storage and back in effect. With football teams gearing up for a successful season, local cheerleaders are hoping for the same. With fingers intertwined, pretty bows and new stunts to wild the crowd, many teams are hoping to make it to the top this year as they compete for the state title. Having summer camps and practices to better their chances at winning and to heighten the spirits of the football crowd, cheerleaders worked hard all summer long.
Cheerleading is a sport that often goes unacknowledged for its athletic demands and time commitment required from its athletes. There are two main types of cheerleading today: high school cheering and competitive cheering. The main difference between the two is the amount of athleticism each athlete needs to obtain. Another difference is the time requirement for each. With both comes different financial demands and travel obligations.
It is true that any fan can sit in the bleachers and root for their team. But knowing the chants by heart does not make them a cheerleader. Yelling along does not necessarily mean that they know all of the correct counts and motions that correspond to each cheer or that they are flexible enough to do the splits. Or that they can be in synch with the all the other members of the cheer squad at all times. In addition, another important skill required for cheerleading is stunting.
The purpose of these cheerleaders’ is to encourage fans and support their fellow sports teams. This type of cheerleading is the focus of the development of the cheerleader stereotype, as well as the focus of the argument that cheerleading is not a sport. In contrast to recreational cheerleading, competition cheerleading focus on a physically and mentally competitive atmosphere. While I concede that recreational cheerleading lacks many of the core requirements to be considered a sport, I reject the opinion that competitive cheerleading is not a sport.
When it comes to competitive cheer, there is a lot more than yelling chants. Cheerleading requires sharp/quick motions, strength, along with perfect timing. Cheerleaders have to have the ability to throw 100+ pound girls in the air and be able to catch them. In conclusion, cheerleading is dangerous, competitive, and takes time and dedication. These are all the components of what society considers a “true sport.”
On March 11, 2017 the world’s best all-star cheerleading teams will be at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in DisneyWorld for the most prestigious cheer competition of the year. The teams there have qualified by getting bids from regional and national competitions, similar to how gymnasts qualify for large meets by competing well in smaller meets. Throughout the competition hundreds of teams will perform their routine filled with the most elite tumbling and stunting sequences ever performed. The tosses and baskets will be so high that if they were performed in a smaller building the flyers, or girls in the air, would hit the ceiling. The tumbling will be so fast and so powerful that if someone was to radar gun the pass, they would be going over
Cheerleaders have competitions which they physically work together to perform and compete to win awards. “The word sport is defined as "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment” (Tori Jackson). Also cheerleaders don 't get points by scoring a touchdown or making a basket, but they get points by performing a perfect routine, like other sports. “They also note that competitive cheer squads are judged on their skill--just as in figure skating, gymnastics, diving, and other sports” (pom pom shake up). Lastly cheerleaders have rules to follow just like football does, like no going off the mat just like football players can 't go off the field.
As a cheerleader, we represent the High School and our positive and spirited attitude is important because it is seen as a reflection of the school and the cheer team. Little boys and girls, parents and peers, look to us to make a positive difference at school events and in the community. As cheerleaders, it 's our job to be positive role models. From the school hallways to the community, from the sidelines to the classrooms, our dedication, commitment, and a positive
We’re not here to show you high school cheerleading. We’re here to show you the young women and men putting all of their free-time into a stuffy old gym. Trusting each other with their lives and defying gravity. We’re not here to show you the average athlete.
Pom pom’s, short skirts, and lipstick. This is probably what first comes to your mind when you hear cheerleader. However, there is a lot more to cheerleading than that. Throughout these past four years Columbia athletics hasn't just taught me my physical strength, but also the values of commitment, hard work, dedication, leadership, and trust. These values have shaped me into the person I am today and I will continue to use these skills to guide me through my future life.
What is Cheerleading? Many may think it’s a sport that you dress up, apply makeup, slick your hair with a bow, and simply put on a smile, and yell as loud as you can to keep the crowd pumped. Cheerleading includes all those easy and pretty factors, but it is also a sport that you stunt, tumble, and jump. Jumps and tumbling may seem really easy to many people, but there’s more work done than most might think is possible. Stunting is also a major element in cheer, and that’s what really pleases the crowd, but stunting takes tons of work.
Many people have good and bad experiences about the sports or hobbies they love. For myself, cheerleading is one of those that I have excelled in due to the amazing coaches that have taught me. It is not only a skill, but a respectable title in my eyes. Although I have grown a love and passion for cheer, it was not easy at first glance. Unfortunately, failure came before success.