Cheerleading to make b-ball Debut
Besty Woodruff
Issue date: 9/17/09 Section: Sports
Men's Basketball may have cheerleaders for its games this year thanks to a semester's work from sophomores Chloe Chapel and Ashlee LeCompte. Next week there will be a workshop, followed by tryouts. Chapel and LeCompte hope that everyone who is interested--regardless of experience or gender--will come to the workshop to try their hand at cheer.
"We're going to show Hillsdale what they've been missing," LeCompte said.
The group is waiting approval from the Student Federation before it can become an official club.
The idea for a cheerleading squad resurfaced last semester; Hillsdale had cheerleading until 2005. Neither Chapel nor LeCompte knew why cheerleading disappeared from campus, though they assume it was due to lack of interest from the student body.
"It's a shame to have a good football team with no cheerleaders," LeCompte said.
They have been working hard to raise interest again by posting numerous fliers around campus, spreading word-of-mouth and setting up a table at the Source. So far, about 20 women have expressed interest.
Uniforms present a concern for the team. Quality uniforms will cost $100 to $300 per cheerleader. The team that ended in 2005 had uniforms, but LeCompte and Chapel cannot find them.
The two leaders said they will hold fundraisers to help cover the costs of uniforms. They will not ask the Student Federation for funding.
Some football players have offered to help the cheerleaders raise money. Chapel said that many of them are excited about the squad.
Though the mysterious uniforms are missing, the girls found an adviser: Margaret Braman, a staff assistant for admissions.
LeCompte and Chapel said she heard about the team wanted to help them because she had enjoyed cheerleading too.
"Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader!" they remember her saying. "I'd love to be your coach."
LeCompte and Chapel said that their experiences cheering in middle and high school have made them more enthusiastic at Hillsdale football games, and they want that excitement to spread through the student body.
"At halftime, people leave because there's nothing to watch," Chapel said.
"We'll give them something to watch," said LeCompte.
They hope the team will be able to cheer at the Homecoming game, but would rather put off cheering than do it poorly.
"We don't want to look stupid," Chapel said.
They plan to cheer at Men's Basketball games. The NCAA allows six girls to cheer at once, so they hope to have two groups of six that can switch out.
"We're going to show Hillsdale what they've been missing," LeCompte said.
The group is waiting approval from the Student Federation before it can become an official club.
The idea for a cheerleading squad resurfaced last semester; Hillsdale had cheerleading until 2005. Neither Chapel nor LeCompte knew why cheerleading disappeared from campus, though they assume it was due to lack of interest from the student body.
"It's a shame to have a good football team with no cheerleaders," LeCompte said.
They have been working hard to raise interest again by posting numerous fliers around campus, spreading word-of-mouth and setting up a table at the Source. So far, about 20 women have expressed interest.
Uniforms present a concern for the team. Quality uniforms will cost $100 to $300 per cheerleader. The team that ended in 2005 had uniforms, but LeCompte and Chapel cannot find them.
The two leaders said they will hold fundraisers to help cover the costs of uniforms. They will not ask the Student Federation for funding.
Some football players have offered to help the cheerleaders raise money. Chapel said that many of them are excited about the squad.
Though the mysterious uniforms are missing, the girls found an adviser: Margaret Braman, a staff assistant for admissions.
LeCompte and Chapel said she heard about the team wanted to help them because she had enjoyed cheerleading too.
"Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader!" they remember her saying. "I'd love to be your coach."
LeCompte and Chapel said that their experiences cheering in middle and high school have made them more enthusiastic at Hillsdale football games, and they want that excitement to spread through the student body.
"At halftime, people leave because there's nothing to watch," Chapel said.
"We'll give them something to watch," said LeCompte.
They hope the team will be able to cheer at the Homecoming game, but would rather put off cheering than do it poorly.
"We don't want to look stupid," Chapel said.
They plan to cheer at Men's Basketball games. The NCAA allows six girls to cheer at once, so they hope to have two groups of six that can switch out.
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