Twenty women wearing orange shorts and navy tops stand on a blue mat and listen as a coach counts down their warmup routine.
“Five, six, seven, eight, ONE …” shouts Magen Brock (Educ ’07), an assistant coach.
Twenty pairs of shoulders hunch.
“… two, three, FOUR …”
Like synchronized swimmers, the women simultaneously flip heels-over-head backward. Most land squarely, though there are a few wobbles and missteps.
“Pull in your knees,” head coach Kelley Haney barks to one student.
“… five, six, seven, eight, ONE, two ...” Brock continues, and the routine repeats. On another set of mats, men also practice flips and handsprings as they prepare for more complicated maneuvers with their female partners—statuesque midair poses that belie the balance and strength required to convey grace.
It’s a Thursday night in John Paul Jones Arena, and U.Va.’s cheerleaders are refining their pyramids, poise and polish before Saturday’s football game, when they will lead nearly 60,000 fans in energetic, high-volume support of the Cavaliers.
They’ll have the traditional megaphones and pompoms, but they won’t be cheering “Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar …”
Images courtesy of U.Va. Sports Information
“That went out in the ’90s,” Haney says with a smile. It’s only one of the changes she’s seen in a lifetime of cheering, 14 years of which have been as U.Va.’s head coach. Now there are pyramids with “flyers” and “bases,” basket tosses and a host of safety measures.
“The safety regulations that are in place now are a lot more stringent than in the late ’80s and early ’90s, which is a good thing,” Haney says. “We see fewer injuries.”
That doesn’t mean they don’t occur. Taylor Miller (Col ’13), who has been leading cheers since elementary school, got a bloody nose during the first practice this year. “Fortunately, I didn’t get any black eyes,” she says. “Relatively, it is a safe sport … but things can go wrong, like in any sport.”
Beyond risk of injury, the physical demands of strength and agility link cheerleading to other sports. Kiran Moghe (Col ’12), one of seven men on the coed team, found that, despite being a lifelong gymnast, he lacked the strength to be a successful cheerleader.
“This was the first time in my life I’ve ever found myself having to lift weights,” he says. “The first time I had to do a bench press, it was emasculating, to say the least.”
Assistant coach Alex Johnson (Col ’07) puts it differently. “When that fourth quarter rolls around and you’ve been throwing a girl in the air for four hours and you’re sucking wind, you’re wishing your cardio was a little better.”
The squad practices together at least twice a week, and members must fit in at least three additional individual workouts a week. Plus, Haney says, there are timed runs—two miles at an 8-minute-a-mile pace or better.
Factor in time spent at games—full days for football, long evenings for basketball and odd hours for other sports—plus the demands of academics, and there’s little time for much else.
“It’s pretty demanding, but I like being busy,” says Brielle Ferguson (Col ’12). “It helps me structure my time better if I know I have things that I need to do.”
The squad receives funds from the Athletics Department, but members must raise an additional $15,000 to cover expenses, so most cheerleaders participate in summer camps and other fundraising activities. Members can qualify for book stipends—the amount increases each year they participate so that a fourth-year would receive $1,000. “It’s been a long fight to get that money,” Haney says.
Most people don’t appreciate the cost, time, physical effort and sacrifice required to be a U.Va. cheerleader, several members said. But the payoff is worth it, they add.
“I’m not going to lie. There’s really no feeling like standing in the middle of the field and running the flag for the first time as the game is starting,” Moghe says.
“My heart does not stop racing until well into the second quarter because it is such an adrenaline rush,” Miller adds. “It’s unlike any other experience that I’ve ever been through, and that’s why I do it.”
Comments
It is nice to see cheerleaders getting the recognition they deserve. It is a demanding sport.
That cheerleading is considered a sport is an offense to all the women who have a true skill and work their butts off to compete at a true collegiate level sport. That UVa gives these people scholarship money to be eye candy and bounce up and down is outdated and rediculous.
As Executive Director of Pop Warner Little Scholars, the world's oldest and largest youth football and cheerleading organization, I completely agree about the athleticism, gymnastics abilities and dedication required for cheerleading. It's amazing to see a cheer squad "work" the crowd much less their performances at competitions. Great article!
To the anonymous reader, would you say the same thing about the marching band? both organizations work incredibly hard to represent their schools but are not considered "sports".
Also to the anonymous reader, the fact that you can't spell the word "ridiculous" is outdated and ridiculous. And don't even make the argument that it is a typo because the E is 4 keys away from the I and that would just be impossible.
To the anonymous reader: You offend all female athletes by referring to these women as "eye candy." Your perception of cheerleading is outdated, and sadly this article was not enough to change your opinion. Thankfully, all of the female athletes at UVA support one another.
Im going to get on the train this train too: Dear Anonymous, UVA does not offer scholarships to cheerleaders. Get your facts straight. You sound redicuous. I mean ridiculous. Man thats hard to get right.
I'm in agreement with the marching band comment--what athleticism it requires!
Did you know there are more injuries in cheerleading than in any other sport???? How can you say it is NOT a sport???
I loved watching the UVa cheerleaders at football games when I was a student, and I think they do a great job. College cheerleading is a demanding sport, and I agree that they deserve more respect than they get! I would appreciate a follow up article on the scholarly pursuits of UVa cheerleaders to help further break down some of the stereotypes about them.
Having had season football tickets right in front of the cheerleaders, I've gotten to "know" them during the season and have been truly amazed with the amount of time, energy and school spirit they offer to the Cavs. "Eye candy" - I don't think so. Dedicated athletes - YES!
I was a cheerleader long long ago-1954 to1958. Lots of fun. No formal training but group practice at Scott stadium once a week. UVA provided sweaters and megaphones plus $15 a day away game personal expenses. We led cheers standing on the wall at the stadium which at that time held 28,000. All the cheerleaders were men given the fact that upto that time we were essentially an all male University.
Kudos to the cheerleaders. However, I would love to see some recognition given to the UVA dancers. Undoubtedly, they are the most overlooked support team within the UVA Athletic Department - always excluded from the gameday programs and never included in the pre-game walk in on game days. Why?!
Matt, I am going to say I don't like the marching band. Hell is half-time with no "pass out" and that band.
As the father of a former UVa cheerleader, I can assure you that these ladies are truly gifted athletes. Most of them trained as competitive gymnasts for many years, and gymnastics is one of the toughest sports I have ever seen. And I agree with Ms. Dean about a follow up article on their scholarly pursuits. My daughter graduated last year with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and is now at Air Force pilot training learning to fly jets. Eye candy indeed!
Giving scholarship money to the cheerleaders is "outdated"? That's a laugh. It hasn't been that long ago when not only did they receive NO money, but they were also buying half-time lunch out of their own pockets for the visiting cheerleaders! How absurd was that? I finally asked the AD to come up with some money for halftime food. When one considers how much money was (and still is) spent on the football team, it was unbelievable that a cheerleader's parent had to even ask. No, Anonymous, giving money to cheerleaders isn't outdated. It's time has finally arrived.
Wow, do you see how fit these folks on camera are? Terrific muscle definition. Clearly a physically demanding sport. Hats off!
When I was in school, I don't believe cheerleaders received scholarships. If they received anything, it was likely very minimal. Their skill level wasn't going to get them on ESPN like Hawaii, Kentucky and other high-flying squads, but they gave their all and cheered hard when most students preferred to get drunk instead of supporting our teams. I applaud them. Besides, if golf is considered a sport, then cheerleading should be branded extreme.
When my daughters asked to do competitive cheer, I was reluctant because I was not aware what the sport was about. In order to make a team that competes at the national level in private clubs, high school or college these athletes must have perfect back handsprings, perfect back tucks and sometimes even way more advanced tumbling. If they are in a base position they must lift another cheerleader fron the ground way into the air and hold them there. If they are a flyer, they must have muscle control to control every muscle in their body to be held in the air. The athelticism required to dance, tumble and stunt very, very fast with perfect control takes years and years to master practicing every day, doing extra tumbling, weight training, running, etc like any other sport. In addition to competitive training, these cheerleaders also cheer at sporting events to spread school spirit.
I was a cheerleader in the class of 1970. I assure you, we were no athletes... Nonetheless, we were and still are very spirited.
I'm a U.Va. grad---but went to Florida Gator games for 3 years with friends. Have to tell you that "Mr. Two Bits"--a "older" alum was very popular--he would lead the crowd in "Two bits....four bits...." at every game. While I understand that using this word in the context of another university may be dangerous.....it was a UF Tradition! I believe Mr. Two Bits is no longer with us, but I bet someone still leads that cheer for the Gators.
When I cheered for UVa ('04-'07), UVa didn't offer cheerleading scholarships. They still don't. The book scholarships are a really small token that recognizes the dedication these athlete-scholars have to their team and their education. 2 practices a week + 3 mandatory workouts a week + a full gameday + misc. events... back then we easily devoted 20+ hours each week to the team. I was one of many who majored and graduated with difficult degrees --chemical engineering for me. Kelley is an A+ coach, especially for monitoring our academic progress and setting minimum GPA requirements to stay on the team.
I'm happy that cheerleading is getting some respect and getting noticed because it is a highly demanding sport. @Louis: 1970 was a long time ago and now a days being a cheerleader is so much harder and we ARE athletes
I agree that cheerleading is a sport, but ONLY when It's competitive. I'm sorry, I am a cheerleader and at my school so I have done sideline and competitions. Yelling "Lets Go Hoos" for 8 hours is not a sport. What's the point of all the conditioning and practice, to look pretty and fit for the fans? As much as I love cheerleading, and respect what these ladies do, the only cheerleading that is a sport is competitive cheerleading. It's an actual competition with rules and a point system. Competitive cheerleaders cheer because they love the sport. Girls who only do sideline cheer for attention and to look cute. (Come on, we know it's true). I go to the the games to watch the game, not the girls and boys on the side. How can a sport cheer on another sport? it doesn't even make sense. Maybe if these ladies and gents competed they would get more attention. Just saying.
@ Lauren, I didn't know they didn't compete. That's lame. All that work and practice just to show off a trick at a football game. Waste of time if you ask me. If your going to do something at least compete with it. Other wise it's a waste. That's would be like our football team just showing the school a few times a week how well they can catch a football... who cares if you have nothing to show for it? Just my opinion though.
I think the cheerleaders today are athletes, gymnasts, and extremely talented. I was in the first class of women at the U (Class of '74)and was also a "cheerleader". I still remember my tryout in front of the all-male panel! It mainly consisted of answering questions! We had to sew our own uniforms too. I still have two of the uniforms, but I am mad at myself for throwing away the knee-high black vinyl boots, the big white puffy sleeved (think Seinfeld) blouse, and the navy hat with the big white plume! Does anyone remember them? Yes, it was a long time ago and things have changed. You cheerleaders deserve credit!
To the anonymous reader at the beginning: you clearly have no idea how much effort these people put forth. Also, none of them are on scholarships. Not sure if anyone else said that, I didn't read everything here.
As a high school cheerleading coach, I know that cheerleading demands at least the same athleticism and discipline of any competitive sport; however, I also believe that the "spirit" element of cheerleading is underrated. School spirit is a unifying element: every single student can be a part of that. This unity helps to create a positive, inclusive atmosphere that encourages all. The cheerleaders fulfill a significant role when they build school spirit to that purpose. My school, Cosby High, is so proud to have two alumnae currently cheering for UVA - Taylor Miller and Erin Hairston. Go HOOS!
To those who think cheerleading is demeaning to "real athletes" competing in "real sports," I say you couldn't be more wrong. As a multi-sport varsity athlete in high school, I appreciated my all-male school's booster club. I knew that their ability to influence the mood of the crowd had an influence on contest outcomes. I know because I was I one of the boosters while I was a varsity athlete. Attending UVA for its superior academics, I knew I would forgo participation in varsity sports. Yet I put my varsity sports and booster club experience to good use. I suspect that members of cheering squads this year and in years past were likewise talented athletically. Eye candy? Not me! And the female cheerleaders were no more attractice than the thousands who put on makeup and sundresses and sat in the stands. Work hard? I was never as spent as after some of my cheering practices. Real sport? We lost 3 of 16 members to major knee injuries -- mor per capaita than the football or basketball teams. I'm proud of my experience as a UVA cheerleader.
Many of you bring up good points, and I agree that competition cheerleading is much more demanding (I was referring to side line cheering). However, I ask this - are there any womens collegiate sports where the players spend hours before the game doing their hair and putting on makeup?
I am a former UVA cheerleader, and at times I have been ok with making the title of "sport" conditional upon whether or not the cheerleading team was competing. However, when I think about it now, that seems a bit silly. When the football team has practice, do we call it an activity and not a sport because they aren't earning points? If the sideline cheerleaders are performing the same stunts and tumbling sequences on the field that they during a competition, is it any different? I’d also like to point out that the UVA cheerleaders have competed nationally in the past. However, it takes thousands of dollars to compete, and as was pointed out in the article and from other posts, there is not even enough money in the cheerleading budget to fund their basic needs. Because of this, the cheerleaders devote weeks of their summer vacations to teaching cheerleading camps to raise money for the program. For me this meant taking time off from work (I had no time for a job during the school year, so this was my only source of income) and missing my family vacation each year. Anonymous, you are correct that the cheerleaders fix their hair and put on makeup, although “hours” is quite an exaggeration. By the way, I’ve seen some pretty sweet hairdos on the women’s basketball players too:) Admittedly, there is a performance aspect to cheerleading; that is part of the sport, and so that is why they wear makeup. . . well, also because they are women. The guys aren’t wearing any. If they look good otherwise, or appear to be “eye candy” it is because of the countless hours they spend in practice and completing individual workouts. Surprisingly, their bodies aren’t so fabulously toned by sitting in their dorms chowing down on ice cream. Of course, this is true for all of the athletes at Virginia. I’m proud to have been a UVA cheerleader, and even prouder to be a Wahoo! Anonymous, I would encourage you to reserve judgment until you throw a round off back handspring layout on the field or throw a woman into the air and catch her with one hand above your head. If you’ve perfected that, and done it at the college level, throw your criticisms out there and we’ll take you seriously.
Anonymous ... Athletes applying makeup? Florence Joyner in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics? Figure skaters? Gymnasts? Elaborate braided hair for many basketball players? Adorning the body with tatoos? I think you're confusing your image of the gum-popping, airheaded A-list cheerleader from high school with extraordinary collegiate athletes. Broad, sweeping categorizations are often just plain wrong.
Obviously "Anonymous" knows his/her comments are ludicrous...otherwise he/she wouldn't be ashamed, or scared, to use his or her real name. Kudos to the Cheerleaders! Keep up the good work. I wish UVA did offer cheerleading scholarships. Maybe then, the squad could concentrate their fundraising efforts on raising money to compete nationally again. GO HOOS!!
I have to agree with Lauren, "Competitive cheerleaders cheer because they love the sport. Girls who only do sideline cheer for attention and to look cute."As a former cheerleader myself from tiny tots to collegiate level I appreciate this article. Yes Cheerleading is a sport and its about time people take it seriously, however, UVa sideline cheerleaders get more recognition than they deserve. These women do not compete on a regular basis. Their position is to stand on the side of the field or court throw stunts, tumble, shake poms poms, get the crowd hype and maybe do the same dance over and over again. It's unfortunate to say but the coach of this team focuses more on how the teammates look vs. their actual performance. I have actually seen an e-mail where the team was supposed to wear their hair up in a ponytail because it was due to rain that game but she told specific people not to because she didn't want to see "teeny weeny ponytails." So they had to wear their hair out unlike everybody else and have their hair frizz up and look crazy. Instead of being a unified team they were told to do something different because she didn't want to see small ponytails. That's absurd. They don't even perform cheers. They do spend too much time primping and curling. All this so called practice to prance around on the field. These women are very talented but their talents are not shown. At all. Kelly, the coach, needs realize her squads strengths and weaknesses and show them. Yes presentation is apart of the sport but whenever you pass up very valuable people for a team because they don't fit the "usual" stereotype of a cheerleader: long hair, skinny figure, pearly whites, and etc, you're hurting the team. I have personally seen people who have tried out for the team who have better skills then the members on the team now and have not been picked because of how they look. If you want to see a real full out cheerleading team at UVa look at the Virginia Competitive Cheerleading Team. Many people don't know that they are out there but they are some of the most talented cheerleaders I know. It's a student run organization that competes nationally, and win if I might add, in 3 or 4 competitions in the spring semester. They prepare and practice fall semester 3 times a week for about 4 hours and travel to gyms outside of Charlottesville to have all day practices. So to the comment about UVa sideline not competing because of money that's not good enough. You don't do competitions because you're not prepared nor have enough stamina to do so. These students not to mention have part-time jobs as well. These are regular undergraduate students who buy all of their own things with some incentive from the school as a CIO but mainly from their fundraising efforts, friends and family support. Sideline cheerleaders may not get full scholarships but they do get $500 book stipends. Virginia Competitive Cheerleading goes to other schools not only in Virginia but in other states as well and represent UVa in a way that if known UVa would be proud and honored.
I'm on UVA Competitive Cheer and I think these ladies and gents are actually very, very talented. I have friends on the squad and they are amazing cheerleaders. How many of you can throw standing tucks and series back handsprings and banging back tuck baskets? To whom ever wrote the comments above, Competitive and Sideline are two different types of cheerleading, so I don't even know why we are being compared. They are a completely different, varsity team, and we're a student run organization. Our team fully respects what they do! Cheerleading is a LOT of work, and they deserve the recognition. This article is about them not us, so lets jus support our UVA cheerleaders. We wish you guys the best of luck with the rest of your season! - Virginia Competitive Cheerleading
Kiara, That's exactly the kind of support I was talking about earlier when I said that the female athletes at UVA support one another! Good luck to you and your team!
I was a U.Va. Cheerleader in the 70's when Cheer was just a Club. I can attest to the athleticism and sheer love for the University Cheer requires. Glad you are finally getting the credit you deserve
Anyone who opines that cheerleaders are not athletes needs to try to be one for a game - I doubt they'd last even a quarter! Also, what's with these women slamming other women? Enough, already!
I cheered at UVA for four years. I was a three sport varsity athlete in high school, and I competed on a national level in AAU. I can assure you that neither guys, nor girls, on that team are there to be "eye-candy". The workouts and practices that I participated in daily, for four years, were equally as physically demanding as any high school, or AAU practice. Were we running plays, or competing, no, but there was certainly a competitive aspect to what we did, and what the teams do now. I think that the majority of people responding here understand that the sport is physically demanding. I think the only thing that I take issue with is the distinction being made between "Competitive" or “Real Cheerleading”, and what these teams do. I 100% support the student organization that competes on a regular basis. But do not confuse those competitions with the level of competition at which Collegiate Teams, such as the varsity team referenced in this article, are required to compete. UCA and NCA Collegiate competitions are different, and while the competitive team at UVA is skilled, they are not held to the same level. The amount of money required to prep, and participate in UCA and NCA competitions is significantly different. Take a look at the Collegiate teams, which btw are also "Sideline" teams for NC State, U. of Delaware, Kentucky, Louisville, Hawaii - Pacific. Those teams have full financial support of their respective universities. They have their own facilities, which more often than not rival that of any other sport at that university. My point is, the "Sideline" team you are bashing works with relatively limited financial support, and shared facilities. They do not have the resources to compete locally, or nationally, at a Collegiate level. Again, I have every bit of respect for the "competitive" organization at UVA, but those of you making a distinction between the two teams, and bashing the girls for being "Sideline cheerleaders" should really educate yourselves before you speak...to those of us who are familiar with the sport on the collegiate level, you sound ridiculous.
As a follow up, I take offense to "Real Cheerleader"'s assessment of Kelley. You took an email, out of context, and tried to build your horrible argument around those ill-conceived notions . Firstly, I'd be shocked if you every played another sport, based on your understanding of how teams are chosen. Whether or not a person is purely skilled is seldom the only factor that goes into a decision to offer a position on a team. Just because you can tumble, or stunt, does not mean you will bring something to the team that is needed, or that will make them better. If there is someone else who is just skilled as you are, and they are a better fit for the team, then they are going to be selected over you. Now I'm sure people will bring up the argument that occasionally one of those determining factors is appearance. My response to that is simple. When you watch a football or basketball game on tv, and they flash a cheerleader, do you notice a commonality amongst those they show? Absolutely!!! The image of the typical "cheerleader" is not something that is made up by the coaches. I'm sorry, but the reality of the situation is when people are watching tv, or are in the stands, or at gameday events, they expect to see that typical "collegiate" cheerleader. The fact that the girls are in shape, and present themselves well is not a reflection of their own narcissism. They are representing the University as a collegiate athlete. People expect certain athletes to look a certain way…it's the truth. If I saw a football team getting off the bus, and their linemen were undersized, in sweats, and had their hats on backwards with headphones in, my first thought is going to be that they are not a positive representation of that school's football program...I don't care how good they are at pushing people around. Bottom line, your thoughts about Kelley and the varsity team are unwarranted.
They do more pdramiys, tricks, throws, but only pro football cheerleaders actually yell
Leave a Comment