In a lot of the discussions I've had with why cheerleading isn't a sport, I often hear, "you do know that games are just practice for us, we go to competitions".

 

So using that logic, I don't think they should get part of the gate.

i was asking a relative of mine that coaches what happens at her school. Some schools do not have enough revenue to buy uniforms,windsuit, bags etc.. The same for the band and equipment so what is done is concession for younger teams like junior high, freshman, jv go to the girls and the gate goes to the general fund. Varsity games concession goes to the band. The gate also takes money out to pay refs. It seems to work for them. Just to let you know she also informed me that every girl on that team knows football and can tell you the name of the plays.

Statman,

 

What about the parents/friends/relatives of the cheerleaders that pay to come to a game because their daughter/friend/relative is cheering?

:thumb: :thumb:

i was asking a relative of mine that coaches what happens at her school. Some schools do not have enough revenue to buy uniforms,windsuit, bags etc.. The same for the band and equipment so what is done is concession for younger teams like junior high, freshman, jv go to the girls and the gate goes to the general fund. Varsity games concession goes to the band. The gate also takes money out to pay refs. It seems to work for them. Just to let you know she also informed me that every girl on that team knows football and can tell you the name of the plays.

Judging from what I heard about Raceland's powder puff game this past week the Raceland Rams boys aren't the only ones that can play football. :D :lol:

No. The cheerleaders actually knowing about the game! I am sure that some girls know very little, but actually, most females are very knowledgeable about the game.

 

When the cheerleaders glare at a player diving out of bounds after a ball — and into the cheerleading formation — with a "how dare you" look, it seems pretty obvious they both don't know about the game, and don't care.

 

Again I ask, what is the cheerleader's raison detre? If they're not there to support the team on the field, they shouldn't even be there. So stop wasting my time, and their own, since they clearly don't want to be there. And let's stop calling them cheerleaders, and instead call them gymnasts.

I just thought I remembered the cheerleaders doing booster drives and things like that for the entire athletic boosters. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

You are correct.

For the record, I don't think the cheerleaders should get any of the gate receipts.

 

I guess the larger question to ask is what does each school do with the gate receipts? Do they go to the general athletic fund? The football team only? A mix of several teams? Something else?

 

First thing gate receipts do is pay expenses, officials, security, etc., the rest goes to the GAF. It's this way in all sports that charge admission.

I am going to reply to this as a teacher. Maybe some of you all can add to this as a parent.

 

High school sports, including cheerleading, are part of school. Schools are made up of students who can learn a great deal about life by being part of a team. The more kids that you can include in more activities, the better. Research shows that students that are involved in extracurricular activities perform better in class, are more likely to go to college, are more likely to stay in college and receive a degree and are less likely to be convicted of a crime. In that regard, I would think that, though sometimes (never, all the time, however you feel) it may not seem as though they make a difference to the team or the fans, the activity makes a difference to the cheerleaders themselves.

 

I come from a school that dropped its football program in 1986 and went back to the varsity program in 1996. During that 10 year hiatus, several people in the community worked to get the program reinstated. However, they faced the same question: "Why do we really need football?" Those community members never gave up and as a result, football was reinstated and tons of young men have went through the program and have become better men because of it. Some probably even graduated that would not have otherwise.

 

Whatever activity it is that kids can excel in, we should support that. If a kid can excel by doing back handsprings and cheers and dance moves, and if it makes her (or him) a better person and more likely to become a successful individual, then I am not ultimately concerned whether they actually led the crowd or not.

 

Totally agree with you on getting kids involed...But from what I have seen this year, and for at least the last ten or so years, is what Jim Schue is saying, they don't seem to either understand the game, or really don't care about the game, just being at the game is what they seem to be about. I believe that is why at Rupp last year, the Cheerleading Assn singled out the CovCath Crazies for getting behind their team and the students actually Cheering on their team....not just doing cheers for the sake of doing cheers, but actually doing things to get the team on the floor or on the field pumped up.......

I am going to reply to this as a teacher. Maybe some of you all can add to this as a parent.

 

High school sports, including cheerleading, are part of school. Schools are made up of students who can learn a great deal about life by being part of a team. The more kids that you can include in more activities, the better. Research shows that students that are involved in extracurricular activities perform better in class, are more likely to go to college, are more likely to stay in college and receive a degree and are less likely to be convicted of a crime. In that regard, I would think that, though sometimes (never, all the time, however you feel) it may not seem as though they make a difference to the team or the fans, the activity makes a difference to the cheerleaders themselves.

 

I come from a school that dropped its football program in 1986 and went back to the varsity program in 1996. During that 10 year hiatus, several people in the community worked to get the program reinstated. However, they faced the same question: "Why do we really need football?" Those community members never gave up and as a result, football was reinstated and tons of young men have went through the program and have become better men because of it. Some probably even graduated that would not have otherwise.

 

Whatever activity it is that kids can excel in, we should support that. If a kid can excel by doing back handsprings and cheers and dance moves, and if it makes her (or him) a better person and more likely to become a successful individual, then I am not ultimately concerned whether they actually led the crowd or not.

Great post!!:thumb: I am a parent of both a former cheerleader & an athlete and can say that my children reaped great benefits from being involved with their activities. It served as a learning tool for them both and allowed them to excell and work toward something they wanted to achieve. Your comments are 100% correct and if more parents had your attitude things would be so much easier for everyone involved.

When the cheerleaders glare at a player diving out of bounds after a ball — and into the cheerleading formation — with a "how dare you" look, it seems pretty obvious they both don't know about the game, and don't care.

 

Again I ask, what is the cheerleader's raison detre? If they're not there to support the team on the field, they shouldn't even be there. So stop wasting my time, and their own, since they clearly don't want to be there. And let's stop calling them cheerleaders, and instead call them gymnasts.

I think if you knew the time and work that the cheerleaders put in to become cheerleaders you would think differently.I can't speak for other schools but at ours the cheerleaders sometime practice longer than the athletic teams. They attend summer camps and work year long to be the best at what they do. I am sure there are some on the squad that do not want to be there as you have stated, but I bet that can also be said about some of the football players as well. I have witnessed the cheerleaders smile after a big win and cry after a tough loss so it appeard to me their emotions were involved in the game. I am a parent of a former cheerleader so I know first hand what is expected from the kids to be a cheerleader. The kids take great pride in what they do and at our school the athletes support them 100%. The cheerleading competition is their reward for all the hard work they put in during the season.

I consider them cheerleaders & athletes. I guarantee most on this site couldn't do what they do.

i was asking a relative of mine that coaches what happens at her school. Some schools do not have enough revenue to buy uniforms,windsuit, bags etc.. The same for the band and equipment so what is done is concession for younger teams like junior high, freshman, jv go to the girls and the gate goes to the general fund. Varsity games concession goes to the band. The gate also takes money out to pay refs. It seems to work for them. Just to let you know she also informed me that every girl on that team knows football and can tell you the name of the plays.

Correct oldram. Don't forget they can also do more pushups than the players.:lol:

When the cheerleaders glare at a player diving out of bounds after a ball — and into the cheerleading formation — with a "how dare you" look, it seems pretty obvious they both don't know about the game, and don't care.

 

Again I ask, what is the cheerleader's raison detre? If they're not there to support the team on the field, they shouldn't even be there. So stop wasting my time, and their own, since they clearly don't want to be there. And let's stop calling them cheerleaders, and instead call them gymnasts.

 

As a former cheerleader, I disagree that the girls do not want to be there. I think the girls really respect the game and the players on the field. I can't think of a single girl though who really wants to get hit by a running back going full speed, so they might give him a look! Just take them for what they are, an entertaining and traditional part of the game! I really don't think there is a cheerleader in the state demading anything from the football teams. They are just doing what they do best...Cheer!

Totally agree with you on getting kids involed...But from what I have seen this year, and for at least the last ten or so years, is what Jim Schue is saying, they don't seem to either understand the game, or really don't care about the game, just being at the game is what they seem to be about. I believe that is why at Rupp last year, the Cheerleading Assn singled out the CovCath Crazies for getting behind their team and the students actually Cheering on their team....not just doing cheers for the sake of doing cheers, but actually doing things to get the team on the floor or on the field pumped up.......

 

We have a group at our school that does something similar. We call them the "Rowdy Raiders". They have made a huge difference in the spirit level of our games and our school.

 

I agree that there are things that cheerleaders should do to support their teams. There are, no doubt, several that do not understand what is happening on the field. The same could probably be said for some football players on the sidelines (in some cases!). This could be said about some participants of many activities.

 

My problem is that some people seem offended by the fact that cheerleaders are even allowed to exist. We all need to remember that we are talking about kids here. Whether it be football, cheerleading, band or academic team, these activities exist to promote the the development of kids. We, as fans, need to remember that - when it comes down to it, it is not about us, but about them.

For what it's worth, my wife cheered at Trinity...her payment?

 

ME

Dang!! did she ever get cheated. :D . My wife was cheated in the marraige dept. also......... Me.:thumb:

I really didn't read very many post on this thread, so I may be repeating something already said. When I ran the youth league in our town I would explain to the cheerleading parents about the cost involved in suiting up players and paying officails and striping the field and so on and so on. My last statement would always be we can play football without cheerleaders, but it's kinda hard to cheer without a game. Our high school cheerleaders are pitiful anyway. I don't think they've cheered at an away game this year. This thread was not about whether cheerleading is a good activity, but should they get part of the gate money.