GU cheerleaders soar to new heights

Published 5:00 pm Monday, October 29, 2012

JOHN DAY Cheerleading may be considered a glamour sport by some, but the Grant Union cheer squad is proving otherwise.

I realized that cheer is an amazing sport. Yes, I said sport, said senior cheerleader Josie Sharp. I have never worked so hard in any other sport in my life.

For decades cheerleaders have been known for simple sideline cheers to excite a crowd. Todays cheerleaders perform advanced tricks and acrobatic maneuvers that are decidedly athletic.

The proof of that may be seen in the increase in sports-related injuries, more so than any other womens sport.

We have all had minor injuries and bruises, you just have to be tough to be a cheerleader, said Sharp.

The Grant Union cheerleaders, despite no school funding, have drawn nine girls this year one of the largest squads that theyve had in years. Many say they volunteered to be with their friends and do what they love, cheering and spreading school spirit.

They always have fun cheering, and they make me laugh, said head coach Charity Houpt.

Cheerleading at Grant Union is recognized as a club sport. The group follows the same rules as a school sport, but they are self-sponsored.

Through cheering and positive encouragement, they set a goal of helping their schools athletes perform at maximum levels.

A traditional effort is the push-up trademark: After each point scored in a game, the cheerleaders get down and dirty and pump out the same number of push-ups as the score.

The squad is a dedicated group of individuals, serving positive encouragement and entertainment to everyone.

The Prospector cheerleaders are passionate for cheering.

Cheer teaches me to be confident and to believe in myself. It makes me feel beautiful, because there is no such thing as an ugly cheerleader, said Sharp.

Cheering is a way to express yourself and be yourself, said Jordden Cameron, a sophomore.

Sophomore Sasha Juarez and junior Maddie Hilton described cheerleading as a way to have trust in friends and supporters.

Mariah Bickle, a junior, said she enjoys cheerleading because it is an intense combination of glorious friendship and positive encouragement.

I love how close our team is, said sophomore Makaela Speakman.

Cameron had an experience that showed the physicality of competitive cheering. Performing a flip dismount from an elevator an aerial stunt the outcome was less than perfect, she recalled. As she rotated in the air and prepared for her team to catch her, the force of her body overcame the arms of her team and she landed hard on the floor.

Some bruises, a little ice … I was fine, said Cameron.

The team is led by experienced coaches. Houpt and assistant coach Trista DeRosier have performed skilled stunts from intricate pyramids to acrobatic maneuvers such the Pendulum, the Russian, and flip dismounts.

Its all about timing, memorization and focus, said coach Houpt.

Recently there has been some controversy in competitive cheerleading, with a federal appeals court ruling that colleges cant count competitive cheerleading as a sport. The court found that cheerleading doesnt yet meet the standards of a varsity sport under Title IX, the federal law mandating equal opportunities for men and women in athletics, although the judges acknowledged that someday it may achieve that recognition.

The ruling has drawn protests from many cheerleaders and coaches, including those at Grant Union.

If football is a sport, cheering for them should be a sport, said Cameron.

Sharp agreed: I have never worked so hard in any other sport in my life.

We work hard and follow all the rules, said Juarez.