Competitive cheer participation sky-high

by Jon Schultz

Friday, December 12, 2008

KALAMAZOO -- It's the
fastest growing sport in Michigan, its state finals draws more fans than any
other girls sport, and it has just taken another step to being on the same
level as football.

With the introduction of
district action in competitive cheer this year, it's going to take more than
just a bus ride to participate in the regional finals.

``It ranks us with other
sports like basketball and football and puts us more in that category as a
sport,'' said Mattawan coach Nichole Cerutti, whose
school will host districts this year. ``They've had districts for years, and
the fact that we're growing so tremendously that we have districts, I think
it's a phemonomenal achievement for the sport of
competitive cheer itself.''

According to the MHSAA,
the number of sponsored competitive cheer teams has more than doubled since
2001 -- growing from 148 to 326 last season. During
the same time span, the amount of participants has skyrocketed from 4,063 to
7,381.

``It has had the most
rapid growth of any sport during that time period,'' MHSAA communications
director John Johnson said. ``It's a very interesting phenomenon, and it just
continues to grow.''

Locally, Comstock and Bangor are sponsoring teams for the first
time this season, and White Pigeon and Kalamazoo Central both return from a
brief recess from the sport.

The reason for the new
teams sprouting up isn't only because of higher interest in competitive
cheer.

Both Bangor and Comstock cited Title IX, which
calls for equal opportunity among male and female student-athletes, as the
main reason for the teams' creation.

``When you consider the
sports that our conference offered, we were one of the few schools that
didn't offer the sport,'' Comstock athletic director Justin Ansel said. ``Trying to move more toward compliance and
gender equity, those were the two main reasons.''

Comstock has had a
sideline cheer squad, and has competed in the Universal Cheer Association,
but it still fell outside of the MHSAA's
distinction of a sports team.

It will take some time
for the cheerleaders to adjust to the MHSAA's
rules, rounds, tighter motions, and gymnastics, Colts coach Nicole Laster said.

``For this team that I
just took over, they had never cheered our style,'' Laster
said. ``In the past it was more dancing. ... It's quite a changeover.''

Bangor coach Kara Jackson said
self-confidence is going to be important during her team's inaugural season,
as the community doesn't exactly support the new sport yet.

``It's extremely
important. Our school doesn't neccesarily believe
in competitive cheerleading,'' Jackson said. ``They have to know they
can do it within themselves, because kids don't neccessarily
talk well about the sport.''

Other area schools, such
as Loy Norrix, have seen a tremendous increase in participation.

During an informational
meeting, first-year coach Tietricha Henderson was
shocked to see 50 girls show interest in the team.

``I wasn't expecting 50
to show up, it was a pleasant surprise,'' Henderson said. ``It was good turnout. I
think with me being a new coach, I think that might have attracted some of
the girls.''

She ended up taking 25
cheerleaders total, a large number compared to past teams of 10 members.

Coaches have played a big
part in advancing the sport among local schools, and this area has some of
the most dedicated leaders, Cerutti said.

``In Southwest Michigan, we've got a great selection of
coaches,'' said Cerutti. ``I know a lot of them
personally, and they're all phenomenal women that want to see the sport
grow.''