Cheerleaders' hard work pays off at nationals
By Jill Sarver-Monk
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 5/5/06 Section: Life
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The team's trip to the National Cheerleading Competition, held at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla., proved that hard work does pay off. This is the 20th consecutive year the co-ed SRU cheerleading squad has been to the national competition. In all of those years, the squad has never placed lower than sixth. In the last five years, the SRU cheerleading squads haven't placed lower than third.
The all-girl captain is Lacey Shay Harvey, a special education, elementary education and early childhood education major. The co-ed female captain is Liz Ross, an elementary education major specializing in history. The co-ed squad's male captain is Kinsey Basko, a communication major.
Basko only began cheerleading when he came to Slippery Rock University. He had planned on attending West Point on a gymnastic scholarship, but lost the scholarship because of health reasons.
"This year's team had a lot of heart. Everyone was there for the same reason and really pulled through in the end," Basko said.
The co-ed SRU cheerleading squad has been in existence for 20 years. Six years ago, another squad was created just for girls, to create more spots for the large surplus of talent that tried out each year.
The SRU cheerleading program is known as one of the best in the Northeast.
"The past year was a rebuilding year for us, because we lost a lot of strong members of the squad and talent wasn't just handed to us," Basko said.
The schedule of an SRU cheerleader is very rigorous and time-consuming. They begin conditioning in the summer with cheerleading camp. Then, in the fall they have practice five days a week for 2-1/2 hours each day, in addition to cheering at every Saturday football game - home or away. Over winter break, they begin practicing two days after Christmas three times a day for two-hour periods; this is the team's nationals practice they do until the competition in January.
"The transformation the team made from tryouts in May to placing second at nationals in January far exceeded our expectations," coach Gemma Fotia said.
Both squads have made their coach, alumni and school very proud.
Although cheerleading is not included in the SRU sports program, it does receive some funding, which is now split between both squads. The only academic assistance they receive are 10 book scholarships which are awarded based on seniority and Q.P.A.
Both the co-ed and all-girl squads gain the university a lot of national coverage with their stellar records. They've been featured on ESPN for many years. A TV show on ESPN will run SRU cheerleading in the summer and again in the fall. The network has not yet announced the airing dates.
"I was really nervous but excited to be there," team member Travis Mukina said.
He also said the basket toss is the most difficult and most dangerous stunt to perform. The basket toss is a stunt completed with two side bases, one base in the front and one more in the back. The flyer is hoisted in the middle by the back base and then tossed. While the flyer is in the air, she can do a variety of different gymnastic moves and then is caught by all four bases on the ground.
One of the squad members had an ankle injury during the season, but that didn't prevent her from performing at nationals.
The musical selection the squads used were a combination of rock, rap and sound effects featuring artists such as Bon Jovi, Rob Thomas and the Black Eyed Peas.
Squads are judged on the following criteria of the United Cheerleading Association at nationals out of 100 points:
Cheer Section:
1. Use of stunts/pyramid
2. Motions (sync, sharpness and placement)
3. Use of signs/poms/megaphones
4. Voice and eye contact
5. Tumbling/Jumps
6. Formations/spacing
Music Section:
1. Stunts (execution and difficulty)
2. Pyramids/transitions (execution and difficulty)
3. Tumbling/Jumps
4. Dance/Formation/Spacing
Overall Presentation:
1. Sportsmanship
2. Synchronization
3. Choreography/Visual effect
4. Overall Effect
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Larry Thomas
posted 9/14/07 @ 8:16 AM EST
CONGRATS!!!!! to the Rock cheer squads for another great showing at the National competition at Disney. I know just how hard the team works prior to the competition every year as Iam a father of a former cheerleader and graduate of SRU, Scott Thomas. (Continued…)
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